Enigma
by sharlaaloo
Summary: She is an enigma, and this is her story. A rewrite of an old story.
1. Snow

**Author's Note:** Hi, everyone! Thank you for taking interest in my story. I deleted this one before because I didn't like where it was headed. Today, I revisited it again and suddenly found the inspiration to continue. For those who have followed this story before, you might notice some tweaks I have made, but they are necessary changes to make the story flow better.

To old and new readers, welcome! And I hope you'll enjoy this little adventure of mine.

* * *

1 | Snow

Rain was a constant in the small town of Storybrooke. It added tranquility to the already peaceful town, making the cozy coastal area easy to call home. Its residents woke up with the sun and retired when the moon rose. Everything and everyone moved like clockwork. It was too relaxed a town that the police force often find themselves with nothing to do. The only excitement that happens is whenever Will Scarlet gets one drink too many and finds himself in awkward situations.

But all that was about to change when a woman, who was wearing nothing but a thin nightgown and a dress robe, stumbled into town before passing out at the edge of the forest. There was a storm coming in that night, so the torrential rain has not been kind to her and her risk of catching pneumonia was off the charts.

The deputy was going through his rounds on that section of town the night he got the call from his sheriff. One of the miners had called in a panic, saying that they have found an unconscious girl they didn't recognize as they were coming into town. Turning the siren on, he sped towards the location. When he got there, Leroy's truck was parked beside it, and the seven miners were trying to figure out how to safely carry the girl into the truck. When he arrived, they looked at him with relief.

With a flashlight in hand, the deputy made his way to their huddle. His heart stuttered at the sight of the pale, soaked woman in dirtied clothes. He gave one of the miners his flashlight before he easily picked her up in his arms, worrying when he felt her temperature.

And that was when David Nolan first set his eyes on Mary Margaret Blanchard.

* * *

Most people his age were leaving town in search of something better. A small town was no place for big ambitions, but David Nolan never had the luxury of having big dreams to begin with. He needed to stay and take care of his mother. But he didn't mind. He loved Storybrooke. He loved that he knew everyone in town and called them by name. He loved his job, he loved his friends. Life was good.

In their small town, there were only a handful of mysteries they have yet to solve: how Mr. Gold knew every single item in his shop, what was in Granny's grilled cheese that made it so addictive, and who was the town prankster who kept sneaking into the town library after hours and messing up Belle's arrangement?

"Who has _that_ much time in their hands?" Graham Humbert, his co-deputy, had huffed.

However, all that changed when a crazy woman decided to have a long stroll in the rain and contract pneumonia, possibly with the idea of dying within the confines of their hospital. David watched the flurry of activity around her hospital bed and wondered in what century the doctors and nurses of Storybrooke General were in the same state of panic.

Footsteps coming up to him made him turn his head. "I came here as fast as I could," Emma Swan, the town sheriff, told him. She was out of breath, her ponytail slightly coming loose, as she placed her hands on her hips. "How is she?"

"Her pulse was weak when we got here," David reported solemnly. "Doctor Whale says he's going to try his best, but what else is he supposed to say?"

"Do we know who she is? Did you find any ID on her?"

He shook his head. "She had nothing but the clothes on her back."

"Poor girl."

Emma then whipped out her phone, pressed a few buttons, before bringing it up to her ear. "Graham, I need you to check for any missing person reports. Not just in Maine. Female, early twenties, long black hair."

David drowned out her voice as he continued to study the pale girl on the bed. Was she running away from something? Was someone out there trying to hurt her? Where did she come from? Does she even remember anything? Hundreds of questions were running through his head before Emma nudged him to get his attention.

"You go home," the blonde ordered. "I'll take it from here."

"Wait," he said, turning his body to face her fully. "I want to talk to her."

His boss raised her eyebrow at him. "And why?"

"I found her."

"Technically, Leroy did."

He scowled. "I brought her to the damn hospital. She could've died out there."

Emma continued to study him before shrugging, "All right, chiseled chin. You can question her in the morning. By the looks of things, we won't be able to talk to her until tomorrow comes."

As they started walking down the hallway, he corrected her, "We? I said _I'll_ talk to her."

"I'll be there to supervise."

"I'm not a child."

Emma snorted. "You're acting like one."

"Also, did you really just ask Graham to search for missing person reports?"

She took a long pause. "Yeah."

"With this town's ancient technology, we'll be lucky if he finds anything by next month."

She laughed. "Please. We'll be lucky if Graham finds the Internet connection first."

* * *

Mary Margaret found herself sitting on a hospital bed that early afternoon with no recollection of what happened the night before as she stared at the side profile of the most gorgeous man she had ever laid eyes on. If the universe gave her more treats like this, she might consider changing for the better. He was looking at her medical chart, and she wondered silently if he even understood what it said. There were a couple of nurses frequently walking by her bed, and by the looks of it, were busy checking out the hot deputy sitting on her bed instead of their patients.

"Well," David Nolan as he introduced himself earlier said with an easy smile. "No head injuries, no bruises, and it looks like pneumonia is out of the question. You're quite lucky."

Mary Margaret let out an unladylike snort. "Lucky."

"Sorry?"

"I'm not lucky," she shook her head, playing with the edge of her blanket. "I won't be sitting here if I were."

David shifted in his seat after putting away her chart. "Okay. Why don't we start with something simple? Can you tell me your name?"

Anxiety coursed through her veins at his words and made her realize that it was a mistake talking to him. He was the police, a position of authority, someone who at some point might have had a direct connection to _her_.

"Can we please skip that question?" she asked quietly.

He looked worried. "Do you not remember or –?"

"No, no, I remember," she assured him quickly. "I just don't want anyone to know I'm here."

He studied her for a moment. "And why is that?"

She took a moment before replying, "It's quite a long story. You might have some other things to do, _deputy_."

He grinned. "Would you believe me if I told you that I have the whole day?"

"No."

His smile widened. "I actually do."

She was amused but refused to let it show. "I see."

He scribbled something down in his notepad before asking, "Did you plan on coming into Storybrooke or was it by accident?"

She chewed her bottom lip before choosing to tell the truth. "I'm actually here on vacation."

"Oh, really?" he asked in amusement. "Tell me more."

She nodded. "Yeah. I'll be staying here a couple of days, maybe a week, two at most. Then I'll be on my way."

"May I know your itinerary?" he grinned. "I've lived here all my life. I can tour you around."

She was thoughtful for a moment before saying, "I'm not here for a tour. I'm just taking a break from reality. Storybrooke seemed like the perfect place for some quiet time."

"Storybrooke usually isn't the first place people think of when they want to take a vacation."

She shrugged. "I'm a strange girl."

His lips turned up in a small smile. "Yeah, you are."

They looked at each other for quite some time before she shyly broke eye contact. "Is that everything you need, deputy?"

He closed his notepad before turning his body to fully face her. "Look. I'll give you a brief background about Storybrooke if that's all right with you. This is a quiet town, nothing much happens around here. As the police, we like to keep it that way. Safe streets are our priority. So when a mysterious woman wanders into town in the middle of the night, and we have no information on who she is or what her agenda might be, we get a bit… skeptical."

"As you should."

"So you understand where I'm getting at, right?"

"I do," she told him. "But as you said, this is a small town. I might come from the city, but I know for a fact that information tends to spread rather quickly in small towns. And it would seem like this town is particularly close-knit. I just don't want to have my whereabouts reach the ears of the wrong people."

"You mean the people who are after you."

She stiffened, and her heart began thundering against her ribcage. She tore her eyes away from his face to look at the door, almost waiting for _her_ to show up and take her back. But the door stayed closed.

"Do you know something?" she asked quietly.

"No," he said, a smile playing on his lips, as he scribbled again in his notepad. "But you answered my question with your body language, so thank you for that."

"Deputy."

"Call me David."

"Please take me seriously."

His eyes looked up at hers at her statement. "I do take you seriously."

She looked down at her hands. "I'm not here to cause any trouble. I'm just staying for a couple of days. If I cause the slightest bit of misbehavior, I'll let you take me in. Just please let my name go for now."

"Slight misbehavior only warrants a few hours of community service. You don't have to worry about that," he told her. She continued to wait for him to say what she needed to hear. "And, okay, I'll let your identity go. For now."

A sigh of relief escaped her lips. There was silence between them for a couple of seconds before he placed a hand on her fidgeting ones. "Hey. If you need help, all you have to do is ask."

Her eyes watered at his statement but that was overpowered by the surge of warmth that washed over her when their hands met. She lifted her watery eyes to his, ignoring the sympathetic look in them as she said lightly, "I'm okay. I told you. I just need a break from reality."

He searched her eyes before asking, "Is someone out there trying to hurt you?"

She got lost in his eyes, and for a moment, she almost spilled the beans about everything. He just seemed so trustworthy and kind. A rare sight for her.

After clearing her throat, she answered with, "I am going to need some help with my clearance form. Would you mind taking care of that for me? Being in the hospital wasn't part of my itinerary."

He smirked as he pulled his hand back, and Mary Margaret tried not to voice out her displeasure. "Only when the doctor says you can go."

"You'll do it?" she asked in surprise.

"On one condition," he said, holding a finger up. "I'm going to take your word that you're going to stay out of trouble during the duration of your stay. Can you promise me that?"

She quickly nodded.

"I'm going to need a name. Any name. For the forms."

She looked around the room for inspiration before a snowflake origami plastered on the wall caught her eye. "You can call me Snow."

"Just Snow?" his lips quirked upward.

"Just Snow."


	2. Ruby

2 | Ruby

The shower at Granny's sputtered hot water for the first few minutes before the spray completely turned ice cold. Goosebumps broke out on her skin as Mary Margaret quickly scrubbed the grime and sweat that have accumulated from the past couple of days since she had arrived in the small town. After David had taken care of the paperwork in the hospital, saving her from that handsy Doctor Whale, her prince charming – as she nicknamed him much to his amusement – took the liberty of taking her to the inn himself, introducing her to Granny who was the warmest host, and giving her one last warning to stay out of trouble.

The only thing that disappointed Mary Margaret was that he never left her his number.

You know, in case of an emergency.

After wrapping herself with a robe, Mary Margaret gingerly stepped out of the bathroom before nearly jumping out of her skin at the sight of a young woman placing some clothes onto her bed. The woman was wearing the skimpiest waitress outfit she had ever seen, had her hair thrown up in two pigtails, and had lined her eyes with thick eyeliner. She was chewing gum when she looked up at her, looking surprised by her entrance as well.

"Oh! Hello. Granny told me to bring these out for you. If you need more, just let me know," she told Mary Margaret with a bright smile before extending her hand. "I'm Ruby, the innkeeper's granddaughter."

Mary Margaret gave her a tight smile before shaking her hand. "Hello, Ruby."

"And I know you've just gotten out of the hospital," she continued to say before turning around to get something. "So instead of you going down to the diner, I brought up some of Granny's homemade lasagna and a couple of brownies. And if you want some company, yours truly just ended her shift."

The one thing Mary Margaret had trouble doing growing up was making friends. Being the daughter of a rich man did have its consequences, and one of them was the abundance of fake friends. People were more often than not seeking the perks of being her friend rather than just… being her friend. Her bodyguards, who were just as fiercely protective of her as her father was, would dissuade her in order to prevent her from getting hurt. But it only isolated her even more.

So, when Mary Margaret heard what Ruby said, with her unusually large grin and the smell of great food, she found it hard to say no. Not only was the girl a great conversationalist, she also had a great sense of humor and stunning wit. She covered the topics of her childhood, her long string of ex-lovers, and her apprehensions about taking over the bed and breakfast once Granny retires. Mary Margaret's plan of having no attachments simply went down the drain as she snorted out her laughter when they reached the topic of Doctor Whale.

"Ugh. Doctor Whale is creepy. That man would flirt with anything that may potentially have estrogen in it."

Ruby was chewing her brownie solemnly before adding, "I hope Doctor Whale wasn't the only man you met since you've arrived because that would be tragic."

Heat immediately rushed to her cheeks at the thought of the deputy. "Well."

"Oh, my God!" Ruby squealed, smacking her leg. "Who is it? Spill. I want to hear everything."

Mary Margaret then proceeded to tell her everything David Nolan has done for her for the past couple of days, and her new friend couldn't contain herself as the story progressed. "Maybe he's just doing his job, and I'm looking too far into it," she finished before finishing the last of her brownie.

"That or he totally has the hots for you," Ruby teased. Mary Margaret just gave her a glance before the brunette suddenly grabbed her arm. "I suddenly had the most insane idea."

"I see that," Mary Margaret laughed. "If it involves David Nolan, count me out."

Ruby's eyes were wild when she asked, "Do you trust me with your hair?"

Mary Margaret's hand instinctively went up to her head. "Why? What's wrong with my hair?"

"Nothing! It's just that… you have such a pretty face, and your hair is hiding it."

Mary Margaret ran her fingers through the long tresses wistfully. "I've never shortened it before."

Ruby caught her look before backing away slightly, "No pressure. It's just an idea. It was insane. I'm sorry."

Mary Margaret then thought about the reason she was in town, and the idea of changing her look would definitely be an advantage for her. The idea of parting with her long hair was terrifying to say the least, but things in her life have been changing so quickly that an additional one couldn't possibly hurt. Slowly, a smile lighted up her face as she made her decision, and Ruby's expression brightened at the sight.

"Let's do it."

* * *

The amount of hair on the floor was unsettling for Mary Margaret, and she was further agitated with the fact that Ruby had turned her chair away from the mirror so she had no idea what was going on. She cringed again at the sound of another snip, making her hairdresser sigh, "Move one more time, and I won't be sorry for ruining your hair."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Mary Margaret said. "It's never been this short before. I'm just nervous."

"Don't be. You look gorgeous."

After a couple more snips, Ruby placed the scissors and comb away and proceeded to dry her hair. During those couple of minutes, it took everything in Mary Margaret to keep herself seated and not look at herself in the mirror. When Ruby finished, Mary Margaret still had her eyes closed and made her new friend laugh. "I don't know about you, but I think I did a pretty good job."

"Really?"

Ruby gestured towards the mirror behind her. "See for yourself."

Mary Margaret took a deep breath before turning slightly to look at her reflection. All of the air in her lungs whooshed out as she took in her new appearance. Her hair ended just slightly below her ears and fell down in soft waves, and there were wispy bangs above her eyebrows that framed her face beautifully. She didn't know how long she stared at herself in the mirror until she heard Ruby's nervous voice.

"Is it okay?"

Mary Margaret whispered. "I look just like my mother."

Ruby's grin faltered. "And that is a good thing, right?"

Mary Margaret's vision was blurred because of her tears as she let out a shaky laugh. "It's beautiful. Thank you."

Ruby's relief was evident on her face. "I'm glad you like it – oh!" Mary Margaret pulled her into a tight hug. "And we are hugging. All right then."

Mary Margaret laughed again when they pulled away before she wiped the tears from her eyes. "Oh, I don't know why I'm crying. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," Ruby assured her kindly. "It's okay to be emotional every now and then."

Afterwards, after a long argument about helping out to which she lost, Mary Margaret found herself sitting on her bed and watching Ruby sweep the hair off the floor. Mary Margaret then thought about everything that Ruby had done for her during the first few hours they've known each other and realized that she owed her a bit of information about herself.

"You've done so much for me, and you haven't the slightest clue who I am," Mary Margaret started, watching her reaction.

Ruby looked up before giving her a faint smile. "Considering how you got here, I can guess that your life hasn't been the easiest. You don't have to feel pressured about telling me your life story just because I've told you mine. Just know that, if you need someone to help you out, you have me."

Mary Margaret gave her a watery smile and nodded. She watched her sweep the rest of the hair onto the dustpan before she told her, "I'm not staying."

Ruby looked surprised. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not staying here for long."

"Oh," Ruby murmured, looking crestfallen. "I see."

Mary Margaret bit her lower lip. "There's something I still have to take care of back home."

Her friend nodded. "It's okay. I understand."

There was an awkward silence before Mary Margaret added, "But while I am here, you call me Snow."

Ruby's expression brightened with a smile, much to her relief. "It's nice to meet you, Snow."

* * *

Mary Margaret was sitting alone at the bar at Granny's later that evening, sipping her iced tea, when a man dressed in a suit sat down beside her and cleared his throat to get her attention. She had to have a double take to recognize Doctor Whale in what seemed like a very old suit that had been kept at the back of his closet for quite some time and an obscene amount of hair gel that had the power to flatten the hair of maybe fifty more men. His cologne was quite overpowering as well.

The doctor gave her a sly smile. "Hello."

"Doctor Whale," she greeted curtly. "Shouldn't you be at the hospital?"

"I do have a life outside that place, you know," he chuckled. There was an uncomfortable silence between them before he broke it with, "You cut your hair."

"I did."

He was smiling before he asked, "Actually, I was wondering if you'd like to go out some time. I'd love to get to know you more. Are you free Friday night?"

Ruby warned her about him, saying that she should stay away as much as possible. It was a well-known fact among the residents of Storybrooke that the good doctor's ultimate goal in life was to sleep with every single woman the town had to offer. He was said to be a proud man, arrogant about the fact that he got his medical degree in a well-known university and had practiced in the city before settling down in Storybrooke.

"I might not even be here on Friday night."

He looked surprised. "Oh, you're not staying?"

"No, just passing by."

"Okay, then how about tomorrow night?"

She bit the inside of her cheek before answering, "Sorry, but no."

"Come on," Whale chuckled. "I promise I'll make it worth your while."

"I told you, I'm not interested," she answered before turning in her stool then hopping down.

Whale followed her to the coat rack. "Well, at least just tell me your name."

"My name is Snow. Didn't you see that in the paperwork?" she muttered as she wrapped Ruby's scarf around her neck.

Whale barked out a laugh as they exited the diner. "Please. Do you really think I'll believe that your name is Snow?"

"Yes," Mary Margaret said, stopping in front of him. "And while you're at it, can you please stop following me?"

"Not until you agree to go out with me."

"This is harassment."

"One date."

She was fuming. "What part of no do you not understand?"

Whale was about to respond when a new voice interrupted him. "I believe the lady said no, Doctor Whale."

The sight of David awakened all of the dormant butterflies in her stomach. She didn't think it was possible but he was able to appear more handsome than she remembered. He was wearing a long dark coat and was carrying some groceries. Whale looked annoyed before turning around to face the deputy.

"Pretty sure we were having a private conversation, Nolan."

"Pretty sure if you had it your way, you two would be halfway back to your place right now, Whale."

Mary Margaret had to purse her lips together to hide her grin.

Whale's look became murderous. "Why don't you mind your own business, deputy? Wouldn't Mommy worry about you being out so late?"

David gave him a calm smile despite the playground insult. "She doesn't mind me breaking my curfew every now and then. Besides, I just want to make sure Snow here feels safe in our town. Does she?"

He tilted his head slightly to look at her, and Mary Margaret felt like melting into goo. "Y – yes, I'm fine."

"See, she's fine," Whale shot back.

"Actually, I…" the two men turned to look at her expectantly, and she suddenly forgot what she was supposed to say. She cleared her throat. "I need to speak with David about something, Doctor Whale. Do you mind?"

The doctor's face turned into a scowl while the deputy grinned in delight. "I'll leave you two to it then," Whale said tightly before walking towards the entrance of the diner. When the diner's door closed, the two turned to look at each other before letting out a laugh.

"Thank you for saving me," Mary Margaret smiled up at him.

David adjusted the groceries in his arm. "No problem at all. I like the hair."

She smiled, feeling heat rising up to her cheeks. "Oh, thanks. Ruby did it for me."

"It suits you," he told her. "Have you settled in properly?"

"Yeah. I don't think I've thanked you properly for everything you've done for me since I've arrived."

"Oh," David smiled, looking shy. "It's nothing. I'm just doing my job."

Her smile faltered. "Right."

He must have caught that because he quickly explained, "I mean, yes, I was doing my job, but - you know - I still would've helped even if it weren't."

She teased him. "No one's that kind."

"I am," he told her with a wink. Mary Margaret tried not to swoon at the sight. "Well, goodnight then. If you need anything…"

"You'll find me?" she asked coyly, making him grin.

"I'll find you."

* * *

 **Author's Note** : Thank you for your kind reviews!


	3. David

**Author's Note:** Thank you so much for the kind reviews! Here's a chapter on David. I hope you enjoy.

* * *

3 | David

The pungent smell of bacon sizzling on the stove hung in the air when David gingerly walked down the metal staircase of his apartment that morning. It was a Wednesday, and Wednesdays were bad. So he can never be too careful. His mother had her back towards him, humming along to the song on the radio as she prepared their breakfast. He was two steps away from reaching the foot of the staircase when Ruth suddenly admonished him.

"You should really stop sneaking up on your mother, David."

And he promptly lost his footing.

"Mom, I was not –," he sighed, narrowly missing a sprain. "Well, there goes my luck for the rest of the day."

Ruth laughed, turning around with his coffee on hand. "The more you think about something bad happening the more chances that it will happen. Stop thinking about cursed days, honey, it's bad juju."

"Haven't heard the word juju in a long time," he pointed out before taking a sip of his coffee, which of course burned his tongue. "Damn it."

"You're really clumsy in the morning."

"It's the bad juju in the air."

Ruth laughed again. David sat down on one of the stools, noticing the garden magazines he had bought for her the night before scattered on the other side of the kitchen counter.

"Club meeting today?" he asked before taking a sip of his coffee.

"Yes, we're meeting later at noon," his mother answered, placing a plate of eggs in front of him. "I've just finished sorting out the pieces Granny wanted for the renovation at the inn."

"So that's why you were up so late last night," David chided with a teasing grin. "You know, women your age should be taking it easy and should be sleeping early."

"My age?" Ruth echoed, appalled. "I'll have you know that I'm stronger than ever. Thank you very much."

Ruth was part of Storybrooke's prestigious garden club, and its active members included her, Granny, and Marco the handyman. It was cute when it started out a year ago, and it took a while for David to realize why the club was so important for his mother. She desperately needed a distraction. Being cooped up in their apartment suffocated her physically and emotionally. Its walls containing the memories of her and his father.

"Where were you last night, anyway?" she asked him as he bit into his toast.

He replied nonchalantly. "I bought groceries and those magazines of yours."

She studied him. "You looked happy. Too happy."

He chewed slowly. "There was no line at the register."

She gave him a look.

He rolled his eyes. "Mom."

"You were whistling."

He sighed, deciding to stop the incessant questioning. "I bumped into a friend."

"I see," Ruth grinned triumphantly. "And is this friend of yours the new girl everyone has been talking about lately?"

"And by everyone, you mean Granny?"

She chuckled, delighted. "You've always had that tact of yours. Yes, I mean Granny."

Instead of answering, he just gave her a secret smile before taking another sip of his coffee. Ruth sighed when she accepted that he didn't want to share any more than that. "I just want you to be happy, dear."

Placing his mug down, he asked, "What makes you think I'm not happy?"

She gave him a knowing glance. "You know what I mean. After what happened with Anna…"

"Mom," he warned, shaking his head.

She had a sad smile on her face as she patted his hand. "I just want you to find love again. That's all."

David was quiet before he gave his mother a small smile. "Maybe someday. Right now, I'm too busy dealing with Emma and Graham."

"You mean Emma is too busy dealing with you and Graham," Ruth corrected.

"Semantics."

* * *

"We're getting rid of the chair."

Emma's announcement paused all activity inside the bullpen of the police station that early morning. The paper ball David was throwing against the wall laid sadly on the floor, and Graham's fingers stopped working in the middle of the speed tying test he had found on the Internet. Both men looked up at their sheriff in utter disbelief before arguments started spewing from both men's mouths.

Emma held up one hand to stop them from turning purple due to the lack of air. "I've made up my mind."

David chucked a new paper ball at Graham's face. "I told you Wednesdays were cursed."

Ignoring him, Graham stood up and placed an arm around Emma. "Honey. That chair is part of the institution. It has been here long before we've arrived, and it will be here for the generations to come."

The blonde narrowed her eyes. "That chair is nothing but a hazard."

David, who was sitting on what was said to be part of the institution, was almost lying down horizontally. The chair was a disaster waiting to happen after being bent out of shape all these years. "Look, boss, it even doubles as a recliner!"

"And it is a distraction for imbeciles like you two!" she cried.

David laughed while Graham continued to argue with his girlfriend, "Emma. That chair is so legendary that it is days away from being taken by Gold's Pawnshop."

"Then let him have it," Emma almost whined.

"Then where am I supposed to sit?" David complained.

Emma huffed. "There are plenty of other chairs in the storage room, just go get one!"

David looked horrified. "You're giving me a monobloc chair?"

"Oh, that's rough, Dave," Graham cringed.

David shook his head. "You know what, Emma. I've made up my mind. I'm resigning. I'm going to work somewhere else, somewhere I am appreciated."

"Oh, my God," Emma pinched the bridge of her nose at the dramatics.

Graham grabbed his arm when he stood up to leave. "But where will you go, Dave?"

He took a deep breath before announcing, "To the animal shelter."

"Good. Great," Emma deadpanned. "I'm sure they have a cage big enough for you there. And tranquillizers to shut you up."

The two men ignored her. "I can't believe after everything we've been through you're replacing me with that curvy vet from the animal shelter," Graham said, folding his arms over his chest.

"Curvy vet – excuse me," Emma said, appalled.

"It's not you, Graham," David sighed, trying to make his friend look at him. " _She_ made me do it."

Graham turned to his girlfriend still in character. "This is all your fault. None of this would've happened if you just left the chair alone. He would still be here – Dav –." Graham choked in his tears, placing a fist in front of his lips.

Emma pursed her own lips together, trying to keep her amusement at bay. "Really. All this for a chair."

"It doubled as a recliner, Graham," David mourned, clutching his friend's shoulders. "A _recliner_."

"In the office," Graham nodded, looking as if his dog died.

David sighed, "And now it's being replaced."

"With a _monobloc_."

"The _audacity_."

Emma sighed in defeat, throwing her hands up in the air. "Fine! Forget I said anything."

"Yes!" the two men high-fived happily as their sheriff muttered profanities on her way to her office.

* * *

There was a system in the sheriff's station that the three officers knew by heart. Each of them had a section of town to patrol before they retire for the evening. Graham and David always vied for the eastern and southern section since both came together and were the fastest route to finish. That night, David had the unpleasant task of patrolling the western section, much to Graham's glee.

"Good luck out there, brother," he told the annoyed deputy. Emma bade them goodbye before speeding off to the northern section. "Remember, when you see shadows, you'll die."

David let out a humorless laugh before shoving him away. "See you tomorrow, asshole."

Graham gave him a mock salute before getting into the patrol car. David was just starting his truck when his friend sped away towards the east. _Lucky bastard_ , he thought as his truck roared into life.

The western section of town included the abandoned Lakeside Mansion, Mr. Gold's mysterious cabin, Jefferson's mansion, the infamous Toll Bridge, and of course the Storybrooke cemetery. For guys like David Nolan, he'd rather feed himself to the wolves before admitting that he was terrified of patrolling these places at night. He was a grown man, and men do not fear ghosts or spirits or mysterious fogs.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when a low-laying branch scratched his windows. His heart was racing as he cursed, muttering, "Get a grip, David."

A few hours later, he had already driven through most of the locations, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The one area he has not checked yet was the cemetery, and he was still in the middle of his internal debate on ditching. The cemetery was not the place to be at night. He had heard enough haunted tales about it since elementary school that had scarred him possibly for the rest of his life.

When he entered, he was greeted by the usual mysterious fog. There was a crow sitting on its favorite headstone. Everything was in place, but David was still gripping the steering wheel tighter than when he was outside of the gates. When he reached the end of the trail, he stepped on the brakes at the sight of a figure coming out of the Mills mausoleum.

"That's strange," he muttered, forgetting his fear. He shifted his gear into reverse and made his way back to the gates. A black car zoomed out of the cemetery in a haste, the driver presumably catching a glimpse of his orange truck as he went past. There were only two people in town who had black vehicles: the Kingsleys and Doctor Whale. As far as he was concerned, all those people were not at all related to who was buried in the mausoleum.

Leaving behind his fears, he got out of the car and walked the rest of the way back. He, Graham, and Emma have been there countless of times over the years. He knew the inside like the back of his hand. If whoever was in there stole something or made a mess of things, he would know. And he would certainly hunt down whoever did it.

The door creaked open, and the deputy clicked on his flashlight and scanned the inside. Everything seemed to be in order. The only thing out of the ordinary was the fresh bouquet of flowers on top of the tomb. He scanned the walls and floors for the second time to make sure before turning off the light.

Maybe the figure just wanted to pay his respects.

After all, everyone did love Henry.

* * *

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	4. Gold

4 | Gold

It was nearing noon when Mary Margaret walked out of the library in disappointment. She had spent the entire morning looking through city records and censuses with Belle the librarian, keen on knowing more about her stepmother's past. All Mary Margaret knew was that she was the former mayor of Storybrooke before she went to Boston to marry her father. Having looked through every record and newspaper clipping about the woman only showed her stellar reign and nothing contrary to it.

Belle, bless her, was kind enough to entertain her every question without suspicions. Her love for books was contagious, and they have been distracted multiple times over the stories and novels Belle would remember throughout their conversation. Mary Margaret found out in the few hours she had spent with her that she was diagnosed with post-traumatic amnesia after she had been in an accident the year before. She has been trying to remember her past by being in the library most days because her father had told her she loved books since she was little. It got to the point that the former librarian retired and passed the torch over to her.

"I'm sorry I wasn't much help," Belle frowned as she walked Mary Margaret to the door.

Mary Margaret gave her a kind smile, slipping her coat on, "You've given me a start. It's better than nothing." She paused. "You mentioned your current mayor earlier. Any idea where he might be?"

"None at all," Belle replied. "Once Albert Nolan secured his position, he vanished. Mr. Gold has been governing the town ever since."

An idea popped into Mary Margaret's head just as Belle exclaimed, "Oh! You can interview Mr. Gold. He's been around forever. Maybe he might have the answers you are looking for."

"I'll certainly try that," Mary Margaret told her insincerely before returning to her previous thought. "Nolan? As in David Nolan?"

Belle smiled and nodded. "Yes. Albert Nolan is David's father."

Mary Margaret stopped in her tracks, finding herself in front of Granny's diner with a growling stomach. Mr. Gold's Pawnshop was just up ahead, but she was unsure whether or not to pursue Belle's idea. She needed answers, but she couldn't risk anyone knowing what exactly she was looking for. The library was the perfect place to be vague.

Before her mind can think otherwise, her body was already pushing the door of the pawnshop. The inside was dark. Every inch of the walls had something hung, and every glass case was filled with odd antiques. There was a small man with long graying hair behind the glass case facing the door, sorting through index cards. He looked up when he heard the bell.

"Um, hi," Mary Margaret greeted him unsurely. "Are you Mr. Gold?"

As she walked forward, she noticed that he was fighting off a smile. "Yes, indeed, dearie. What can I do for you?"

Cursing herself for not thinking the whole situation through, she tried to appear nonchalant by placing her hands behind her and looking around the shop. "I was wondering if you can tell me more about the town. I'm new here, so I just wanted to know about… stuff."

Mr. Gold was studying her with a curious expression on his face. "You have to be more specific than that. The town's history? The town's people?" He paused. "Its authorities, perhaps?"

There was a knowing glint in his eyes when he said his last words that made her uncomfortable. "People," she answered him, feeling a bit stupid after she did.

"Contrary to what you might think, there are a lot of people in Storybrooke. You have to be more specific than that," he repeated with a smile.

"Belle told me you've been around forever," she started.

He laughed. "That phrase makes one feel quite old, don't you think?"

She cracked a small smile at that, forgetting what she was supposed to say.

He regarded her for a long time before saying, "What exactly did you come to me for, dearie?"

There was no fooling this man, that much she knew from the look in his eyes. She steeled her nerves before asking, "You already know, don't you?"

The man let out a grin as he put away his index cards. "Yes, I do."

Mary Margaret watched him warily as he went to stand next to her. She then noticed that he had a limp and was leaning on a cane for support. "If you are not aware, I'm acting mayor," he continued to say. "I know who passes through the town line and everyone in this town at this very second. It's my job."

"You're certainly more efficient than the police force," she muttered.

Mr. Gold let out a laugh. "I try, dearie. So, yes. I know who you are and what you came here to do. And I have to say I admire your courage. Regina is a formidable woman."

Her name sent a painful jolt down her spine. Tears stung her eyes as she looked down at her feet. "I have to be brave," she said almost inaudibly. "She wants to kill me."

The admission tasted bitter on her tongue, and the same cold fear she felt the moment she found out washed over her again.

Mr. Gold was quiet at her words, making her look up. The man was studying her with the same curious expression on his face as before. She rolled her eyes to keep the tears at bay and began to fan them with her hands. "I'm sorry I don't know why I'm crying," she let out a helpless laugh.

"Well," he said quietly. "Having a target on one's back may be a bit overwhelming. I don't blame you at all."

Mary Margaret felt a surge of fondness for the man.

Mr. Gold limped back to where he was standing before. "As for the information you want, well, the first thing you need to know about me is that everything in this shop comes with a price. I live through deals. I give you something, and I expect something in return. I might ask for it now, I might ask for it later. Think of it as a trade."

She nodded. "How much do you want for it, then?"

He fought off another grin. "I'm not interested in your money, Miss Blanchard, although I am certain you have plenty of that." She blushed in embarrassment. "I'll think about your end of the bargain. Do we have a deal?"

Mary Margaret looked at his wrinkled hand thrust towards her for a moment before shaking it. "Deal."

He pulled back his hand with a contented smile. "There's a painting in the mayor's office that looks out of place. I've been meaning to get rid of it for a while now. Reckon you can look into it."

Confusion clouded her expression.

"Here's the key. I suggest you go at night."

* * *

Ruby was out on a date, so it was easy for Mary Margaret to sneak past Granny who was knitting in the lounge of the inn before running down the darkened streets of Storybrooke. Ruby mentioned that there was patrol roaming around until midnight. It was half past eleven on her watch, but she could not wait any longer. Ruby and Granny might get suspicious if they caught her coming home too late.

The town hall was a large white building standing in the middle of the entire town. Mary Margaret felt like her heart was about to beat out of her chest because of the adrenaline. If she were ever caught in this crime of breaking and entering, she will have the police on her trail, and she cannot risk being exposed too early.

She quickly made her way towards the back entrance and the key Gold gave her fit the lock perfectly. Slowly, she opened the door without a sound and tried to keep herself from hissing in triumph. Closing the door behind her, she saw a flashlight coming from the hallway and pressed herself against the wall behind a row of cabinets. When the danger was gone, it took an agonizing five minutes for her to find the mayor's office. Her heart began to beat loudly in her ears when she realized that Gold only gave her one key. She tried to turn the knob quietly and was surprised to find it unlocked.

She was surprised to be greeted by a modern black and white office that looked completely out of place for a small town. Storybrooke seemed too old-fashioned to have something like this. It was also surprisingly clean for a place that hasn't been used for a while. She looked around the room, trying to remember what Gold told her earlier before spying a painting of blue birds on the far wall of the room. Excitement filled her as she walked over and ran her hands through the frame. It looked innocent enough until she checked the wall behind it.

Carefully, she placed the painting down on the floor. There was a portion of the wall that was slightly deeper than the rest. She pressed her fingers against it and gasped when it popped open. She gingerly felt the inside of the opening before pulling out a ring of keys.

Before she can marvel at the discovery, she quickly pocketed the keys and carefully placed the painting back on the wall. Gold can burn it for all she cares. She made her way towards the door when she saw a shadow on the other side of the glass, freezing her in place.

"Who's there?"

Cursing internally, she looked around for an escape and ran towards the window. Without a second thought, she opened it and jumped off just in time as the light of the guard's flashlight shone into the room. Ignoring the pain radiating from her arm when she reached the bottom, she raced off into the night without a second glance at the building. Not seeing the familiar head of blonde hair popping out of the window she had jumped from.

"Whoever you are, I will find you!"

* * *

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	5. Whale

**Author's Note:** Three chapters in one day!

Warning: attempted rape scene ahead.

* * *

5 | Whale

Mary Margaret had been ignoring the pain in her arm since her jump from the mayor's office window until she had reached the porch steps of Granny's Inn, but the moment she peeled off her light jacket increased the pain tenfold. She gasped at the sight of glass shards coming out of the cut and wondered where the shards came from. The windows were not broken… were they? It was already past midnight. She didn't want to wake Granny or Ruby with her problem, but she certainly didn't want it to get infected.

She sighed, knowing what to do.

"What the hell happened to you?"

Doctor Whale was grinning the moment she asked for him at the reception area. Mary Margaret knew that she had no other option but to visit the doctor – the only doctor in town, for Christ's sake – and have him sew her back to normal. She proceeded to keep her mouth shut for the duration of the procedure, wincing only when she heard the plinking of the shards into the metal bowl.

"I noticed you came to the hospital twice in less than one week," Whale continued to talk despite her silent protest against conversing with him. "Should I be expecting you again any time soon? Just so I can be prepared."

Mary Margaret fought to roll her eyes at him.

He chuckled, pulling another glass shard from her arm. "So stubborn." There were a few seconds of blissful silence when he broke it again. "You know, my offer still stands. The date? Friday, well, tomorrow night?"

"No."

"She speaks," he grinned triumphantly. "I was beginning to worry I'd have to check your voice box as well."

She sighed in annoyance. "If you would so kindly just patch me up in silence, that would be much appreciated, Doctor Whale."

He hummed. "Somebody had a rough night."

She was beginning to have a migraine.

"One date."

"I think I should have the word _no_ stamped on my forehead every time I see you for you to get the message."

"You know you should be careful with what you say to me. I am the one with the needle."

She let out a humorless laugh. "I have worse things to be afraid of than needles, Doctor. Just fix it."

"Fine," Whale sighed in defeat, going back to work. Mary Margaret had to keep herself from pumping her fist up in the air.

There were several minutes of uninterrupted silence until he broke it yet again, making Mary Margaret want to bang her head against the wall. Hard. "I know what you think of me. I'm sure your new friend, _David_ , has told you about me as well."

"He never mentioned you," she clarified for him.

"Oh, well," he had the decency to look embarrassed. "I just want to show you that I'm not a bad guy. That's why I'm so insistent about having this date with you. I'm not really aiming for romance at this point, just friendship."

She regarded him carefully. "Right."

He gave her a small smile before proceeding to stitch her arm. "Just something to think about. I did save your life."

"I didn't think I owed you for that."

"You don't," he said immediately. "I just… I don't know. You're different from the other girls."

She couldn't help her amused smile. "Was that supposed to sweep me off my feet?"

"You don't take shit from other people," he continued to say, finishing his task of sewing. "And you're brave. You're in a strange town with only one attending." She laughed, genuinely, at that. "And you're settling in quite nicely. Not to mention you're crazy beautiful."

He finished by placing a bandage over the stitches. "You can come back in two to three days to have it replaced. Any nurse can do it. I don't have to be the one."

"Thank you," she told him, watching him clean up his things.

His eyes flicked over to hers for a quick second. "Thinking about giving me a chance?"

She pursed her lips, not believing what she was about to do. "Will it be worth my while?"

He began to smile. "Yes. If you don't want to talk to me afterwards, fine. I won't hold it against you."

Mary Margaret sighed, cursing herself internally for staying instead of leaving immediately. "Fine."

"Great. I'll pick you up at seven."

* * *

"Why, for the love of everything red, did you agree to go out with him?"

Ruby looked incredulous the moment Mary Margaret told her that she needed help to get ready for her date.

"I told you about him before!"

Mary Margaret sighed, burying her flaming face in her hands. "I know, I know."

"He's a serial womanizer, Snow! I can't believe someone as smart as you are will fall for his tricks!"

"It's one date," she insisted lamely. "And he promised that he'll get out of my hair if I don't ever want to do it again. I highly doubt that I'll be calling him back. So once this is over, he'll stop pursuing me."

Ruby muttered, "I doubt it."

"What?" she looked horrified.

"Snow," Ruby sighed. "I don't know if you've noticed but you're kind of gorgeous. Any guy who doesn't see that needs to get his eyes checked. However, most men are trash, and Doctor Whale is part of that group. I just don't want you to get hurt."

She gave her friend's hand a squeeze. "And I love you for that, but I don't have a choice. I already said yes."

"Dear God, stop making it sound like you're marrying him," Ruby shivered with a grimace. "You know, if this were a date with David Nolan, I'd be more than willing to pamper you up. That man is delicious."

"Trust me, if this were with David Nolan, I would not be able to sit this still."

Ruby gave her a teasing smile. "You like him, don't you?"

"What's not to like?" she asked, acting nonchalant. "He's a nice guy."

"I see the way you look at him whenever he comes into the diner."

She sighed, rolling her eyes. "Can we please not talk about decent guys when I'm about to go on a date with Doctor Whale?"

Ruby laughed. "Fine. No funny business, all right? One wrong move, you call me."

She smiled. "Thanks, Ruby."

"What are friends for?"

* * *

Mary Margaret can't remember the last time she wished a truck would run her over and end everything. She gave Whale another small smile, just to pretend that she was hearing him. Not listening, just hearing. She had given up on listening after the amount of sexual innuendoes he had dropped throughout the entire evening. Some were witty, some were downright inappropriate. She can't believe he thought this was worth her while.

Throughout the evening, he continued to talk about himself and his experience in the medical field. Ruby was right. She shouldn't have gone through with this. She should've faked an illness and avoided him throughout her entire stay. She might have had a more productive night if she stayed in to figure out the set of keys she found in the mayor's office last night.

"So yeah," he was saying as she finished her – was it the fifth? Tenth? – glass of wine. "Once you've made the cut, you have unlimited access to the bar, which was like every medical student's dream during that time."

She let out a fake chuckle. "Cool."

Whale nodded, playing with the stem of his wine glass. "Also, chicks seemed to dig the doctor type, you know."

"Oh, boy," she muttered as she poured herself another glass.

"Last chance to order." Granny appeared beside their table, throwing a concerned motherly glance at her. "Do you need anything else?"

Whale didn't say anything, and Mary Margaret immediately jumped at the opportunity to end it. "Check please, Granny. Thank you."

She did not take into account the amount of alcohol she had consumed in a few hours' time. He helped her put her coat on, and she was aware that they were already outside. However, instead of heading to the inn, they were walking towards another direction.

"I had a great time tonight," he started, his arm tight around her, as they walked down the quiet street.

She exerted a lot of effort to pull herself out of his arms. "I'm going home."

"Wait what?" he chuckled. "I thought we agreed we were going back to my place."

She shook her head, regretting the action immediately. "I most certainly did not."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Yes, you did."

"Well, then, this is me saying no. Goodnight, Victor."

She turned around towards the direction of the inn but was immediately stopped in her tracks. "I said no."

"You did agree to go out with me. The least you can do is finish it."

Her head began to hurt. "By the looks of things, it is finished," she shot back, getting annoyed. "The least you can do is be a gentleman about it."

He suddenly grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the direction of his house. "What the hell? Victor, let me go!" She didn't have enough strength to pull her arm away because of the alcohol in her system. "Victor!"

They were at the entrance of a dark alley when Whale pushed her against the wall and began to kiss her neck. "Stop being stubborn," he muttered, and she could feel herself freezing in fright. "You smell so good."

"Victor, let me go," she whispered, tears springing up in her eyes.

"You can't smell this good and not want this."

"Let me go. I won't tell anyone. Just please."

His hands began to travel up from her waist, and it took everything in her to knee him in the groin and run. Both her head and her heart were pounding in rhythm with her feet. She needed to go somewhere with people. Every establishment she passed by was already closed, making her curse. Hearing footsteps behind her, she pushed herself to go faster.

She didn't see that he was coming from around the corner, so she bumped into him quite forcefully. Luckily, he was stable enough to keep them from falling onto the ground. She tried to pull her arms away from his grasp in fear, "Let me go. Let me go!"

"Snow!"

She looked up to see David's concerned face staring at her. Feeling a surge of relief course through her, she could only let out the sobs that had formed in her chest, the fight in her system dissipating almost immediately. She was vaguely aware of him wrapping her in an embrace and felt in awe of how much she felt safe in his arms. His tight embrace kept her from falling apart completely.

"It's okay. It's okay. I got you," she heard him repeating after her sobs have subsided. "It's okay."

"W – Whale, he… he tried to," she hiccupped.

He hushed her, stroking the back of her head. "He's gone now. He's gone. I won't let him hurt you."

After a while, she let out a ragged breath, moving closer to him. "David?"

"Yes?"

"Take me home."

David had his arm around her the entire trip back to the inn. Ruby exclaimed some profanities when she greeted them at the door, but Mary Margaret didn't have the strength to understand anything anymore. She felt drained. She felt used, dirty. David's strength was the only thing keeping her together. Ruby let him walk her up to her room. She only took off her shoes and coat before slipping under the covers. David sat beside her.

"Are you going to be all right?" he asked. The glow of the lamp on her bedside illuminating his beauty.

She gave him a tired smile, ignoring his question. "Thank you for finding me."

He had a pained smile on his face as he brushed her bangs away from her eyes. "I promised, didn't I?"

She drifted off to a dreamless sleep but not before feeling his soft kiss on her forehead.

* * *

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	6. Kathryn

6 | Kathryn

Next to Christmas and Thanksgiving, the other town wide holiday the residents of Storybrooke looked forward to was the extravagant birthday celebration of Kathryn Kingsley. Kathryn was the daughter of Midas Kingsley, the richest man in Storybrooke. He's the owner of the mining company that exports more gold than a person normally sees in a lifetime. Leroy and the other miners loved working for him, given his humility despite his net worth. However, they, along with most of the residents, stayed out of the way of his daughter. While Kathryn's beauty surpassed everyone else's in the small town, she was a bit of a nag with a bad attitude.

And she had the biggest crush on David Nolan.

That was why, every year, she throws the biggest celebration just to have David Nolan within her sight. Most days of the year, the deputy hides from her and desperately wishes to disappear whenever they bumped into each other. Her wish, every single year, is for him to save the last dance for her. Something she wishes out loud before she blows off her candles. Graham and Emma loved it.

"If you get married," Graham said that early morning in Granny's. "Will she commission to have your uniform be made of gold?"

Emma added with wide eyes, "What if your children come out gold?"

"Imagine little gold people in uniform just walking down Main Street."

Emma snorted out her laughter.

David scowled before taking a sip of his coffee. "Very funny."

Graham laughed. "Oh, come on, man! Lighten up."

"Easy for you to say," David sighed. "You're not the one being jumped by Kathryn Kingsley."

Emma's face turned slightly green while Graham replied sarcastically, "The horror. I'm sure being jumped by one of the most beautiful women in town must be such a pain."

His girlfriend elbowed his side. "Cut him some slack, babe. Give him some space. God knows he won't have it later tonight."

David narrowed his eyes when she winked at him. The bell on the entrance rang, signaling a new customer. He felt his heart jump at the sight of Snow coming in with a big smile ready for Granny. He watched them surreptitiously from the corner of his eye, itching to ask Snow how she was. He couldn't erase the image of her in hysterics from the night before. Despite that, she seemed to be glowing in happiness that morning.

"Look, babe," Graham broke him out of his thoughts. "Someone finally caught David Nolan's eye."

Emma gasped. "And it's not Kathryn. Cue the drama!"

"Are you two finished?" David snapped. "It's 9AM. I have about ten hours of peace before –."

"Oh, David!"

"Sweet Jesus, take me now."

* * *

Mary Margaret watched with interest as a blonde woman moved closer to an ill-looking David while handing out pink envelopes. She felt a nudge on her shoulder, making her turn around in her bar stool to face her friend who was wiping glasses on the other side of the counter. "Seeing green, babe?" Ruby teased her.

"What – I am not jealous," she protested. She looked back and saw that the blonde had begun handing out envelopes to everyone else in the diner, making her slightly nervous. "What is this all about, anyway?"

Before Ruby can respond, Mary Margaret felt a light tap on her shoulder. She caught a whiff of the expensive perfume the woman was wearing as she turned to face her, recognizing the scent as the one she used to wear years ago. Poor girl. Oblivious to the current trends.

"Hi," she smiled brightly, offering her a hand. "I'm Kathryn Kingsley. You must be new here."

Mary Margaret shook her hand. "Yeah, I am. I'm Snow. Nice to meet you, Kathryn."

"Likewise," Kathryn said distractedly, giving her a onceover.

Mary Margaret had enough experience dealing with snotty rich kids to know Kathryn was sizing her up. She felt a bit self-conscious wearing hand-me-downs from Ruby, but she had no other choice. If she had access to her wardrobe in Boston, Kathryn's blue ensemble would have definitely been overshadowed.

"Anyway," Kathryn shook her head before pasting another bright grin on her face. "This is for you. Today is my birthday, and I would _love_ for you to be there at my celebration."

Mary Margaret accepted the invitation graciously. "Oh, thank you. Happy birthday."

"I really do hope to see you there, Snow," she told her, placing a hand on her arm. When she turned to Ruby, her smile disappeared almost immediately. "Ruby."

"Kathryn," Ruby's eyes sharpened.

Kathryn tossed an envelope onto the counter, surprising Mary Margaret with her sudden shift in attitude.

"Please do dress appropriately," she sniffed before sashaying out of the diner without a second glance.

Mary Margaret's eyebrows shot up to her hairline while Ruby looked like steam was coming out of her ears.

"Ruby," Mary Margaret called her warily. "Are you okay?"

Ruby let out a loud exhale before smiling at her, "I'm fine." She leaned forward. "I'm going to make you look so good, David would not be able to take his eyes off of you."

Mary Margaret felt confused. "What does David have to do with Kathryn?"

Ruby gave her a mysterious smile. "Oh, you'll see."

* * *

The Kingsley Mansion looked out of place in a small town given its huge size. The white three-story building was a gorgeous sight sitting on a knoll at the far eastern section of town. It had a colorful garden in front and wide stone steps leading up to the porch. Gold banners were hung outside as decorations. Inside, the guests were ushered into the ballroom where champagne and finger food were aplenty. Music played lightly on the background as everyone chatted animatedly with one another.

Emma, Graham, and David were in the middle of the floor, talking to Dr. Archibald Hopper. Emma looked beautiful in a green floor-length dress, and Graham wore a tuxedo with a green tie. David, however, stole the spotlight by wearing an all-black tuxedo, highlighting his pale skin and electric blue eyes. His blonde hair was long enough to be brushed back and made all the women sigh.

There was a light tap on the microphone, stealing everyone's attention from one another. Midas Kingsley, dressed in a tux with a gold tie, was on the stage, smiling as he announced, "Welcome, everyone, to my daughter's birthday celebration. All of you look beautiful tonight, ladies and gentlemen. Give yourselves a round of applause."

Everyone obeyed politely. David himself clapped but was distracted in his search of a certain brunette he had been looking forward to seeing. The music changed into something sweet as Midas continued to say, "Now, please join me in welcoming my daughter, Kathryn Kingsley!"

David then shifted his attention to the spiraling staircase. Kathryn appeared at the top, dressed beautifully in a shimmering gold dress that hugged her every curve. Her hair fell in waves, and her hand was smoothly sliding down the handrail as she descended. She looked quite stunning.

After the opening ceremony, the guests were ushered to the dining hall where there were two long tables. Everyone was assigned seats, and David found himself quietly pleased at the two names written for the chairs across his, _Snow_ and _Ruby_. Emma sat next to him and Graham took the seat after her. Almost everyone has been seated except for the pair who were supposed to be in front of him.

Where were they?

As if on cue, the closed doors suddenly opened, startling everyone in the room. Ruby looked beautiful in her red floor-length dress, laughing nervously when she realized everyone was staring at her. "I'm sorry, everyone. We kind of got lost. Big house and all. Snow, in here!"

The sound of her name made David sit up in attention. A pin could be heard at the silence of the room when Snow stepped into the dining hall. Her white tube gown looked like second skin and had a slit on the side showing off her flawless left leg. Not a single strand of hair was out of place, her lips were painted red, and her walk would have made models weep. She looked breathtaking.

David felt like his heart was about to beat out of his chest. He heard Emma suck in a breath just as Graham let out a low whistle, "Damn."

Snow walked over to the table with Ruby by her side. When she saw him right across from her seat, her cheeks reddened before her green eyes met his. David forced himself to swallow the lump in his throat. Kathryn clinking her glass loudly regained back the attention of the room.

"Let our dinner begin!"

The music started to play again as David watched her in silent fascination. How can someone be so perfect? Snow finished whispering something in Ruby's ear when she turned to him with a beautiful smile. David almost wanted to tell her to stop messing with his heart.

"David," she greeted gracefully.

"Snow," he answered, his voice almost inaudible. Her blush made him grin like a fool. "You look beautiful."

Her smile widened. "You don't look so bad yourself."

* * *

After dinner, everyone was escorted back to the ballroom for a night of dancing. Mary Margaret watched in delight as couples danced flawlessly on the dance floor, looking as if they have been practicing for weeks. She saw Granny being led by Doc, one of the miners, and the awkward dance made her and Ruby giggle like adolescents.

Her friend nudged her. "I think Prince Charming needs some saving."

Mary Margaret looked over to where she was looking and saw David looking uncomfortable with Kathryn in his arms. He looked so miserable that she was starting to feel bad for him. Then he caught her eye, making her heart flutter, before mouthing the words, "Help me." She teased him by shaking her head, hiding her growing smile behind her glass of champagne.

"You know, you can go cut in," Ruby's voice pulled her out of her thoughts. "I'm sure he'll appreciate it."

"It's her birthday," Mary Margaret replied. "Let her have her fun."

"Hi, mind if I join you?"

Ruby and Mary Margaret were both startled to see Emma Swan with them. The latter gave them an uncomfortable smile. "Without Graham and David, I'm kind of a loner."

"Oh, sure. You can join us," Ruby told her. "Snow and I were just talking about Kathryn being all over David."

"Ah," Emma nodded, joining them watch him stumble awkwardly. "Poor kid."

Ruby grabbed a fresh flute of champagne. "I don't understand why David lets her do this each year. Is he even interested?"

Emma laughed. "Of course not, he's just too nice of a guy to tell Kathryn to piss off, especially on her birthday."

Ruby hummed in agreement before the sheriff continued to say, "Besides, we all know he likes someone else."

Both Ruby and Mary Margaret's ears perked up. "He likes someone?" Ruby asked for her.

"Oh, come on. Don't tell me you don't see the way he looks at you," Emma told Mary Margaret directly, making the latter blush. "The entire town saw it earlier, including Kathryn. That's why she's clinging onto him like a koala."

Mary Margaret couldn't help her chuckle, feeling quite flattered, while Ruby stared at her in fascination. Emma let out a small laugh as she watched David, "Can you hold this for a sec? I need to take a picture."

"I like you, Emma Swan," Ruby told her, holding her glass and watching her take a camera out of her clutch. "We should be friends."

Emma only laughed. "Snow, I'm telling you. He wants you to save him from that girl. Right now."

Mary Margaret sighed, "I really don't want to ruin anything. It's her party, just let her do what she wants."

Ruby groaned, turning her eyes up to the ceiling. "You're too nice. It's killing me."

Mary Margaret drank the rest of her champagne before realizing that the other two suddenly became quiet, staring at her. "What? Do I have something on my face?"

"Hey," a voice murmured into her ear, making her jump. David gave her a fond smile before turning to Emma and Ruby. "Hi, ladies. Do you mind me stealing Snow for a moment?"

"You can have her all night, David," Ruby grinned, making Emma laugh aloud and Mary Margaret glare at her.

"Dance with me?" he asked her when she faced him completely.

"Okay."

David had a hand on her back as he led her to the dance floor. Mary Margaret had to keep her heart from beating out of her chest with slow, even breaths before he turned to face her. He looked unsure of himself, making her take his hand and put it on her hip. Gaining confidence, he moved his hand onto the middle of her back, pulling her closer, and his other hand held hers in a gentle caress.

They began to dance in tune with the music. "I saw you dancing with Kathryn earlier," she told him quietly, looking up into his eyes.

"Yeah?" he murmured. "What did you think?"

She tried to hide her smile. "You don't know how to dance."

He let out a low chuckle, looking embarrassed. "My mother tried to teach me. She gave up after I keep stepping on her toes."

She laughed. "You're not stepping on any of mine, so that's an improvement."

He smiled, looking down. "I'm trying not to. I don't want to disappoint you."

Her heart fluttered at his words. "I don't think you can ever disappoint me, David Nolan."

With his cheeks reddening, he cleared his throat. "Uh."

Mary Margaret decided to save him. "I haven't thanked you for saving me last night."

Surprise lighted his features. "Oh. That. I – I was just doing my job."

She recalled him telling her that before. "But you still would've helped, would you? Even if it weren't."

He blushed in embarrassment, making her laugh. "Yes. Yes, I would have." There was silence for a few moments. "Since you brought up the subject, I haven't had the chance to ask you how you're doing since…"

"I'm okay," she told him. "Well, I mean not really okay, but I'm… okay."

He smiled. "Good. I'm glad I was there."

"I am, too," she answered.

They continued to dance with him trying not to step on her feet and making her laugh. It took a long minute before he moved closer and made Mary Margaret have the courage to snake both her arms around his neck. His eyes glanced down at hers, almost smoldering, as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Foreheads almost touching but not quite.

"Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?" he asked.

She smiled, easing closer. "You have, but it is nice to hear it again."

Before he can reply, a waiter appeared beside him with an awkward smile. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but Miss Kathryn would like to speak with you, Mr. Nolan."

David looked resigned and was about to follow him when Mary Margaret spoke up, "David." He faced her. "Do you want to get out of here?"

Mary Margaret swore that she had never seen him smile brighter.

* * *

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	7. Ruth

7 | Ruth

Rain was pouring hard as the figure ran into the phone booth. It took a couple of tries before he got the number right, his fingers shaking due to the cold and his nerves. His heart was pounding as he waited for the person on the other line to pick up the phone. After a couple of rings, the familiar cold tone sounded from the other end.

"I didn't realize I've summoned you."

"You haven't. I just thought you needed to know something." The silence made him continue. "Your stepdaughter is in Storybrooke."

He looked warily outside the booth to check if there was anyone passing by. Phone booths in Storybrooke were rarely used, so anyone seeing him might get suspicious. But he wasn't going to use his landline to call this woman.

"Since when?" her voice low.

"It's been a week, I think."

"And you just happened to come to your senses to tell me."

"It took me a while to piece the puzzle together," he explained lamely. "Sorry."

She heaved a sigh. "You were never the perceptive type."

He didn't know what to answer.

"All right, give me a couple of days," she said in resignation. "When I'm done here, I'll be on my way."

"Do you need me to do anything?"

"No," she said with finality. "Do not get her suspicious."

"What if she finds something?"

"Then let her."

Her words electrocuted him. "Regina… I can't risk –."

"You knew what you were getting into when you signed the contract, did you not? Or were you drunk that time, too?"

He ran a hand over his tired face. "No. I mean, yes, I knew what I was getting into."

"Good."

"There's something else."

"What?"

"Someone has taken a particular liking to her, and if I'm correct, it is reciprocated."

"Who?"

"David Nolan."

He heard a smile in her voice that sent shivers down his spine. "Interesting."

* * *

Once David flicked on the lights, Mary Margaret was pleasantly surprised to be greeted with a rustic apartment with a woman's touch. It was Doctor Whale, out of all people, who informed her that David's mother was still around, and she felt a bit nervous about meeting her. She took off David's blazer from her shoulders, placing it on the coatrack, just as David was walking over to the kitchen area.

"Do you want some cocoa?" he asked as he began to rummage through the cupboards.

"Sounds great," she told him as she settled on one of the bar stools. He worked efficiently in the kitchen and she found herself mesmerized by his actions. It didn't take long before he was pouring steaming cocoa into mugs and placing an absurd amount of cream on top. What made her raise her eyebrow was the cinnamon stick stuck into the cream before he handed it over to her.

"May I present the Nolan hot cocoa," David said proudly. "Trust me when I say Granny stole my mother's recipe."

She let out a laugh, wrapping her hands around the warm mug. "I haven't tried Granny's cocoa, so I wouldn't know the difference." She sipped her drink. "This is really good."

"Of course, it is. I made it," he winked before walking over to stand next to her. "So, what do you want to do? I have a stack of DVDs up in my room if you want."

Mary Margaret swiveled on the bar stool to face him, placing a hand on his chest. "Aren't you tired?" she asked. "I don't want to keep you."

"You're not keeping me from anything," he took her hand off his chest and gave it a kiss. "Besides, I like talking to you."

She blushed, teasing him, "Just talking?"

"Just talking," he chuckled as he leaned closer. Mary Margaret felt her heart racing as he came nearer, her eyes slowly closing. But before anything can happen, padded footsteps came from the bedroom beside the kitchen and the curtains were pulled aside, making both of them jump apart at the sudden intrusion.

"David?" a woman, Mary Margaret guessed was David's mother, asked, blinking sleepily. She had graying hair that was sticking up in different directions and wore a robe over her pajamas. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know you had company."

The not-so-subtle smile she threw over to her son made Mary Margaret laugh a little. David, however, looked concerned. "Mom. You're back early. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she waved him off. "I just didn't feel like dancing after dinner was over."

David didn't look convinced but he quickly introduced her. "Um, Mom, this is Snow. Snow, this is my mother, Ruth."

"Nice to meet you," Mary Margaret smiled warmly at her.

"You, too, dear," Ruth replied, squeezing her hand. "I see David has shown you our hot cocoa recipe already. You must be very special."

"Mom," David groaned, making Mary Margaret grin.

"Yes, he is very sweet," Mary Margaret said, glancing up at him momentarily. "I'm really sorry if we've woken you. I didn't think anyone was home."

"Oh, nonsense. You didn't wake me up," Ruth smiled. "I always get up at this hour to do my business."

Mary Margaret laughed at the silly expression on her face and missed the way David was looking at her, but Ruth didn't. And she tried to keep her expression neutral at the thought of her son in love. "Well, then. I'll leave you two to it."

"I love your mom," Mary Margaret told David when Ruth closed the bathroom door behind her.

Setting down his mug, David only hummed in agreement, not realizing a bit of cream was left on his top lip.

"Oh, you got a little…" she reached up to wipe it away with her thumb without a second thought.

The smoldering look in David's eyes was back and it made her pause. They looked into hers before wandering down to her lips as if asking permission. Mary Margaret filled the space between them, pressing her lips lightly on his. He tilted his head, pulling her closer by the waist. His lips were warm, and he tasted like cocoa. A satisfied sound came from the back of her throat as she reached up to run her fingers through his soft hair.

The sound of flushing and the opening of a door made them pull apart. David cleared his throat, his hand shooting up to the back of his head, while Mary Margaret lifted her cocoa up to her lips, trying to hide her smile. Ruth had a knowing look on her face as she walked past them.

"Good night," she called out to them before drawing the curtains.

"Good night," they both answered.

They waited until the night light on the other side was turned off. Mary Margaret turned to see David looking down at her with a smile. "Hi," she giggled before he placed a quick kiss on her lips.

"Come on," he told her. "I'll take you home."

Mary Margaret glanced at the time to see it nearing 2AM. David followed her line of sight. "Or," she said nervously. "I can stay here. If you'll have me."

He looked at her the way he did when he was about to kiss her. Then he shook his head. "I'd rather take you home, Snow." She felt embarrassed, making him lift her chin up to meet her eyes. "Not that I don't want you here. I do. Believe me, I do. But I don't want you to feel like you have to be here to prove something to me."

Her heart melted and she found herself pulling him into a hug. "They don't make men like you anymore," she murmured, making him chuckle.

"Come on," he said, pulling her out of her chair. "Let's hope Granny is still awake or she'll have my head for waking her up."

She laughed. "You should be more afraid of Ruby."

* * *

There was someone pounding on her door.

Mary Margaret's bleary eyes opened to the intense sunlight streaming in from her open window, making her curse for not remembering to draw the curtains earlier. The incessant knocking continued, making her groan, but she refused to get up from the warm bed. The seconds ticked on, and the knocking increased in number and volume, accompanied by the lovely mood of Ruby in the morning.

"Snow, I swear to God, I will kick this door open!"

When Mary Margaret finally swung the door open, Ruby was about to knock some more, her mouth about to shout something. She glared at the brunette. "What?"

"Good morning to you, too," Ruby replied sarcastically. "Someone's asking for you downstairs."

"Who in the world wants to talk to me at 7 o'clock in the morning?" Mary Margaret complained.

Ruby shrugged. "Mr. Gold?"

The pawnbroker was looking out the window of the lounge when Mary Margaret entered. She was still fixing the hem of her sweater, having come out of the fastest shower she has had in her life. She cleared her throat to get his attention.

"Ah, Miss Blanchard," Mr. Gold greeted her, unnerving her by his loud declaration of her name.

"Mr. Gold," she shook his hand. She beckoned towards the couch politely. "After you."

"Thank you, dearie. I apologize if I've caught you off-guard by the early hour," he said as he made himself comfortable.

Mary Margaret blushed. "I – uh – had a long night last night."

"Ah, Kingsley's daughter," Mr. Gold smiled. "I take it you've enjoyed yourself."

She gave him a tight smile, hating having to deal with small talk so early in the morning. "I did, thanks."

"Not one for big celebrations, I'm afraid," he told her before producing an envelope from the inside of his coat. "I've come here because I've decided on what you can do for me as an exchange for the information I gave you."

She took the envelope as he continued to say, "That is a check. I've already placed an order in Game of Thorns, so Moe French will know what to give you."

"I take it that Game of Thorns is a flower shop?" she asked, smiling slightly at the pun.

Mr. Gold smiled. "Yes. Then I want you to deliver the flowers to little Henry at the cemetery."

The smile on her face disappeared. "Who's Henry?"

"I think your friend can answer that question for me," Mr. Gold said, looking at something behind her. Mary Margaret only saw the end of Ruby's hair as she fled.

Mr. Gold rose to leave and she followed his actions in confusion. "I don't understand…"

"You will," he said mysteriously. "Just follow my instructions."

* * *

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	8. Henry

8 | Henry

Game of Thorns was a small shop not far from the inn. Moe French, a burly man who reminded Mary Margaret of a large teddy bear, greeted them cordially when they entered and recognized the envelope she handed over almost immediately. It took only a minute before a huge flower arrangement was perched on the counter in front of them. Ruby threw Mary Margaret a bewildered look before clearing her throat.

"Excuse me, Moe. Are you sure this is ours?" she asked for confirmation.

"Sure is, love," Moe answered her. "Mr. Gold always asks for my best on this day for the last couple of years. Sad day today. Sad, sad day. Though, you should know something, that man never picks up his order himself. It's different when he makes other people do it for him. Loses its meaning."

The florist gave them a solemn smile before excusing himself and disappearing into the back room of his shop. Mary Margaret has never felt more confused in her life and turned to her friend with her mind swimming with questions. Her thoughts stopped at the sight of Ruby pale, like she had seen a ghost.

"Ruby?" Mary Margaret asked, waving a hand in front of her eyes. "Ruby, are you okay?

"Snow," Ruby's lower lip trembled. "Did – did Mr. Gold tell you who these are for?"

Mary Margaret blinked before she remembered his words. "He told me to give it to little Henry in the cemetery."

"Oh," Ruby placed a hand on her mouth, looking more terrified than Mary Margaret had seen her. Tears streamed down her cheeks. "Oh, that – that _sick_ man."

"Ruby," Mary Margaret grabbed her shoulders to look at her straight in the eyes. "What the hell is going on?"

* * *

 _Years ago_

The bell in Granny's diner rang, signaling the entrance of the town's favorite little boy making his way towards the three police officers in their usual booth. Emma was sitting comfortably with Graham's arm loosely draped over her shoulders, and David was sitting across them, in the middle of explaining the importance of a truck in his life, when young Henry Mills slid onto the empty seat beside him with a cheerful declaration.

"Guess what? Taco shells were on sale!"

David looked confused at the interruption. "That's… great, kid. I'm sure Apollo bars will be up next week."

Henry gave him a look before placing his bag of groceries on the table, surprising the three adults with the amount he had purchased. "I bought a ton! I was thinking we can have unlimited tacos over at Dad's place tonight," he proposed, looking at Graham with hopeful eyes.

Emma snorted, thinking of the current state of Graham's kitchen.

Graham looked like a deer caught in the headlights. "I – uh – Henry, I don't think your mother would approve of you being anywhere near my kitchen."

"As if your kitchen can still be considered one," Emma chided.

"Fine, we can have tacos over at Emma's," Henry immediately remedied, much to the sheriff's amusement. "David, you're also invited. We're celebrating tonight."

"Oh, yeah?" Graham grinned. "What are we celebrating, kid?"

Henry quickly dug out a slightly crumpled paper from his school bag and held it up for them to see. "I got an A on my final!"

"That's awesome, Henry!" Emma exclaimed as Graham gave him a high-five from across the table. David ruffled his hair affectionately, making the little boy whine in protest.

"We knew you could do it," Graham smiled proudly.

"Just like we knew Emma's going to regret coloring her hair brown," David added, expertly avoiding the punch Emma threw his way. She pouted up at Graham, making her boyfriend laugh and place a comforting kiss on the side of her head.

"I think you look pretty, Emma," Henry smiled at her. Emma's heart melted, making her reach over to pinch his cheeks. Henry protested as he rubbed his red cheek, "You guys have got to stop doing that! I'm not a little kid anymore!"

"Oh, really?" David was grinning at his godson.

"Yeah, I'm, like, ten," Henry said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Eleven in less than a month."

"Maybe by then you'll have the courage to ask that Violet out on a date," Graham winked at him.

"Dad!"

"Whoa, hold up," Emma interjected. "Who?"

"Is she your girlfriend?" David nudged his shoulder.

"She's not my girlfriend," Henry denied frantically.

"Fine," Emma said, trying another approach. "Who's _not_ your girlfriend?"

"Henry has a crush. Henry has a crush," David teased in a singsong tone, poking his sides.

Henry squirmed away from his reach. "Shh! People might hear you. I don't want her to find out like this," he whispered to them nervously.

The three adults chuckled affectionately, and it took a while before the teasing finally died down. "Are you staying over at your dad's place tonight?" Emma asked, reaching for a nacho on their shared plate.

Henry's guilty expression made Emma's heart sink. "Your mother doesn't know you're here, does she?"

"No," he answered. "But I do have a good excuse in case she finds –."

The door opened with a bang. The only person capable of doing that without having to face Granny's wrath was the mayor. Emma winced when she heard the familiar clicking of her heels against the linoleum floor, feeling desperate for Henry who looked like he was close to tears. She wanted to wrap him in her arms and never let go.

Graham had sat up properly, ready for the fight that was about to come, while David refused to look at her.

"Henry, I thought we were meeting at the bus stop," Regina's sickly sweet voice made Emma want to punch something.

Henry looked up and was about to say something, but his mother had already turned to look at her former boyfriend, who had tightened his grip around Emma's waist. "I thought we had a system, Graham," Regina continued. Emma finally lifted her eyes to look at her, feeling only resentment as she saw her cold expression. Henry didn't deserve to live with her. Henry wanted his father, and Graham wanted him. Badly. The only hold she had was that she was his mother.

Graham stiffened. "We just bumped into each other, Regina."

"I came by to ask Granny for taco recipes," Henry added in a small voice.

Emma and Graham had talked about what happened between him and Regina before. Emma knew he ran the other direction when he had enough of her control over every single thing, but what he didn't know was that she was pregnant. When Henry was born, Regina refused to acknowledge him as the father, and the whole dispute made its way to court. He won custody, Regina resented him even more for it, but he didn't care. Henry was his son.

"Regina," Graham spoke up when Henry was about to slide off the booth. "Maybe I can have Henry earlier this week. I can have him back by Friday night."

Henry perked up almost immediately, which did not go unnoticed by his mother.

Regina's expression darkened. "No."

"But Mom," Henry started to complain, something he never did.

"Come on, Henry."

Emma pulled herself away from Graham's arms and stood up. "Regina."

If Regina was upset before, it didn't compare to what she looked like when she heard Emma's voice. The blonde tried to steel her nerves for Henry despite the look of murder in the mayor's eyes. "Maybe we can have him tonight. We'll have him back by tomorrow at the latest –."

Regina held up a hand. "Excuse me. We? I didn't realize you have custody over my son, too, Miss Swan."

Emma's hands curled into fists. "That is not what I meant."

"You do not have a say in this. He is my son."

"He's also Graham's!" Emma felt herself shaking in anger.

Regina stepped closer, and Emma wondered how someone's eyes can look so empty. "How dare you speak to me that way?" she challenged. "Need I remind you that you're just the sheriff, Miss Swan? I'm the mayor, and I can have you replaced in a blink of an eye. So I suggest you know where you stand."

"Please. Stop fighting!" Henry exclaimed, standing between them and pushing them away from each other. "Come on, Mom. Let's go."

"Henry," Graham called out, standing up.

Henry shook his head, giving his father a sad smile. "I'll be fine, Dad. I'll see you on Sunday."

Emma could only watch in defeat as Henry clutched his bag of taco shells on one hand and his school bag on the other. Regina's hand was on his shoulder, leading him out of the diner's door. Emma continued to watch him until he disappeared from her view, wondering why her heart suddenly felt so hollow.

* * *

Regina was greeted with chaos the moment she opened the door of her son's bedroom. Henry was packing everything into a duffel bag, desperately trying to keep his tears from falling. He refused to look at his mother as she sat down on his unmade bed, her tired voice only making him feel even more upset.

"Henry," she started. "You and I both know by the end of this, I'll be tucking you in the for night. In this bed."

"No," Henry replied with a strong voice. "I'm going to Dad's place tonight."

Regina sighed. "Mom had a tiring day at work today, sweetie. I can really use the company."

"You don't even notice me when I'm here, Mom," Henry sulked. "When I'm with Dad, he – he's there. He plays with me, cooks for me even if he sucks at it. Please, Mom. I just… I want to be with Dad tonight. Please?"

"We can do whatever you want tonight, sweetheart," Regina tried, standing up and looking around the room. Henry didn't have to watch her for too long to know that she needed a bed. She looked more tired than usual. "We can make those tacos you wanted."

Henry was quiet. "Or we could – um – I can read you a story," she picked up the book of fairytales she bought for him years ago. The cover had begun collecting dust under his bed. "I know how much you love this book."

"I haven't opened that since I was seven, Mom," he told her quietly, feeling guilty at the defeated look on her face. He sighed, zipping his duffel bag anyway. "Can you take me to Dad's?"

Regina sighed. "Henry, please…"

"Then I'm sorry, Mom."

Then he ran. His heart was racing as his mother called out his name, her footsteps hot on his trail. The pouring rain greeted him when he opened the front door but it didn't shake his resolve. He was going to his Dad's place. He was going to have tacos with him and Emma, maybe even David. He was going to have a great time.

"Henry!"

"I'm sorry, Mom."

Henry rushed out, not bothering for an umbrella. He knew the way to his father's house by heart, running will be no problem at all. His vision had begun to blur through the rain. His mother's calls were fading behind him as he raced down the path and out of the gate. Adrenaline was pumping through his veins while he ran down the street.

He didn't notice his laces were untied.

He didn't notice the pavement was slippery.

He didn't notice the end of the sidewalk.

He didn't notice the car without headlights speeding towards him.

But he did remember his mother shouting.

The loud honks and the tires screeching.

He remembered the pain before everything went blissfully dark.

* * *

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	9. Mary Margaret

9 | Mary Margaret

"Henry took the spirit of the town with him," Ruby quietly said after narrating the whole story. "I was there, you know, that afternoon. I was the one who served them nachos. Henry looked so happy. They all looked happy. None of us ever thought…" her voice cracked as she looked down at her hands.

They were sitting inside the Mills mausoleum after placing the flower arrangement on top of Henry's tomb. There were plenty of smaller flower arrangements scattered inside that came from residents who have arrived and have left before they got there. Ruby had been quiet the whole ride to the cemetery and only began to tell her the story after she had paid her respects to Henry.

Ruby cleared her throat, wiping a few stray tears from her face. "It took a while for everyone to recover. Regina left. Albert Nolan became the mayor then left. Everything was so unstable for a couple of months. Then everything just went back to the way it was before. Not completely, but almost."

Mary Margaret had no words to say after what she heard. No wonder Regina was the way she was. It was one thing to lose a child, but to lose him in such a terrible way was nothing short of a nightmare. "Did they ever arrest the one behind the wheel?" Mary Margaret asked.

"No," Ruby shook her head sadly. "Whoever it was covered his tracks very well."

"Poor Graham."

"Graham took it pretty hard. It was awful to see the person who was always cracking jokes and making everyone laugh become a hollow shell of himself. He blames himself for what happened. It took a few years and many, many sessions with Dr. Hopper to be the way he is now, but nobody thinks he's going to really get over it. I doubt anyone in this town will ever be."

Then the strangest thing happened. Ruby leaned against the tomb, and the tomb moved with her. Her friend screamed a little as they jumped back in fear. They were both clutching each other's hands tightly as Ruby began shaking, "Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. What did I do? Oh, God. I'm so sorry."

Mary Margaret's heart was thudding against her chest as she quietly assessed the situation. "Okay. Okay, this is what we do. We just – we just have to push it back. No big deal."

"No big deal?" Ruby echoed in disbelief. "Snow, it freaking moved!"

Mary Margaret cleared her thoughts about spirits and Henry coming back to haunt them just in time to see something peculiar on the floor. There was a small opening peeking out, like the tomb was covering something underneath it.

"Ruby, do you see that?"

Ruby scrutinized the floor she was pointing at. "What should I be seeing?"

Mary Margaret positioned herself with both hands pushing the tomb further from its original place.

"Snow!" Ruby said in alarm. "You're making it worse. Stop that!"

"Come on. Just help me!"

Ruby hesitated, looking warily at the entrance. "Someone might come in and see us."

"The quicker you help me, the quicker we can get it back!"

Ruby sighed in defeat before joining her. It wasn't long before they revealed a secret staircase leading to an underground level. "Would you look at that?" Mary Margaret said in awe.

"Are you sure we should be doing this?" Ruby asked nervously. "What if there's something down there?"

"Aren't you up for a little adventure?" Mary Margaret nudged her friend. Ruby was trying to fight off a smile at her antics. "Come on. We might find something interesting down there."

They gingerly went down the stone steps. Mary Margaret was trying to conceal her nervousness. The farther they got down, the darker it became. When they reached the bottom, they both turned to the left and began screaming at the top of their lungs. She was the first to realize what it was, making her hold Ruby in place and hushing her, "Ruby! It's just a mirror! It's just a mirror!"

"Damn it, Snow. Can we please get out of here?" Ruby almost whimpered. "We shouldn't even be here. This is trespassing!"

Mary Margaret barely heard her, having discovered a room filled with old books. She opened one of them and it contained drawings and a language she didn't understand. She placed it back where it belonged before scanning the rest of the room. All the walls were made of red bricks, but the farthest wall had red curtains over it. When she pulled them aside, she discovered a wall made of gold drawers that had a keyhole in the middle of each. The keyholes had a design that was familiar to her, but she couldn't remember what they reminded her of.

"Snow!" Ruby called out.

"Just a minute," she told her, smelling something weird. "That's strange."

"What is?" Ruby asked, suddenly right beside her.

Mary Margaret jumped at the sound of her voice before answering her. "Do you smell that?"

Ruby leaned closer to the drawers before drawing back almost immediately. "Smells like something from a science lab."

Something clicked inside Mary Margaret's head at the mention of a laboratory. "I know what this smells like."

"What?"

"Formalin."

* * *

The three officers were quiet, lacking the enthusiastic bantering among them that particular day. Leaves were crunching underfoot as they made their way to the mausoleum. David was carrying the flowers, and Emma had her hands wrapped around Graham's arm while his were inside his pockets. There were flowers already lining the stairs outside of the mausoleum, letting him know the residents were thinking of his boy.

When they stepped inside, the solemn air around them dissipated at the sight of the tomb pushed away from its position. In its place was a secret passage none of them had seen before. Graham's blood began to boil at the thought of someone defiling his son's resting place, making him run down the steps without thinking. Emma's and David's calls faded behind him as he pulled out his gun, blinded with anger.

There were two darkened figures in the small room that froze when his cold tone accompanied the pointed gun, "Hands where I can see them."

Emma and David have caught up behind him with flashlights, and Graham was surprised to see the faces of Ruby and the new girl with their hands up in the air.

"Snow? Ruby?" Emma said, voicing out his own disbelief. "What the hell?"

"We're so sorry," Ruby said with her voice wavering. "We were just supposed to bring flowers, but –."

"It was my fault," Snow spoke up. "I forced her into this."

"I accidentally leaned on the tomb, and it moved," Ruby continued to say as if Snow hadn't said anything. "We saw something weird on the floor and we went to check it out."

Ruby's voice got smaller by the end, her fearful eyes trained on him the whole time, as if wondering what he might do or say. Graham honestly had no idea how to address the situation and was thankful when Emma went into sheriff mode. The sound of handcuffs made him lower his gun and grab his own pair as well.

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law."

"What?" Ruby squeaked. "You're taking us in?"

"You've been caught trespassing. This is private property," Graham explained in a hollow tone. Nobody argued with him there with all of them sharing a glance with one another. He was sick of the sympathetic looks and the insincere reassurances this day provided him each year. He craved for something to take his mind off of his dead son. He didn't realize his wish would lead him into one of the most sinister cases Storybrooke has ever seen.

* * *

Shame. She felt so ashamed.

Mary Margaret flinched at the sound of the cell being slammed shut behind her. Ruby was already sitting on the cushion in the cell adjacent to hers, sporting a defeated look and making Mary Margaret feel even worse. She had let Ruby down. Her friend didn't even want to be down there in the first place. But her feeling of shame increased tenfold at the thought of David witnessing everything that went down in the cemetery. He had not said a word the entire time, and she hadn't been able to lift her eyes up from the ground.

Graham spoke up, his tone making her feel even more horrible. "Why don't we start by you two telling us what happened? We can start from the beginning."

She and Ruby shared a look before she gestured for her to speak for the both of them. Her friend gave her a small smile before turning to the officers. "Mr. Gold came by the inn early this morning to talk to Snow. He told her to pick up the flowers from Game of Thorns and deliver it to the Mills mausoleum for him. I decided to go with her."

Graham looked like he was forced to eat sand. "Gold told you to do this?"

"Just the flowers," Ruby clarified quickly. Mary Margaret knew better. She finally remembered what the keyhole looked like. The set of keys she stole from the mayor's office had a similar design. Mr. Gold planned all this, and it made her angry to be a pawn in his schemes. "I accidentally leaned against the tomb, and it moved. I –."

"Wait a minute," Emma stopped her. "Why would Gold tell you to do all this?"

"Because he and I had a deal," Mary Margaret spoke up. "And I have to hold up my end of the bargain."

Everyone paused at her answer. Even Ruby didn't know that she previously had contact with the pawnbroker.

Mary Margaret finally braved a glance over at David who had his arms crossed against his chest, his eyes trained on her with an unreadable expression on his face. She couldn't hold his stare for too long because Emma asked her the question she had dreaded to hear since she arrived in town.

"Snow," Emma held her gaze before enunciating her every word. "You've been here for a week. You told David that you came here in peace, and we believed you. And for this whole week, nothing out of the ordinary happened. But now, something did happen, Snow. And you were involved. So, I think we're due some answers."

The silence was almost deafening, only the ticking of the clock can be heard in the room. The same cold dread Mary Margaret felt whenever she was forced to face her stepmother washed over her again. She could almost imagine Regina stepping out from around the corner with an evil smile on her face, waiting for her to come with her. Tears pooled in her eyes as she looked at each of them before staying on David.

"Don't make me go back."

They all looked startled at her response. "We won't," Graham said, gentler than before. "We just want to know who you are. That's all."

A tear escaped her eye. "I'm not going home?"

"You don't have to," Emma assured her. "You can stay here, but you have to tell us who we're protecting you from."

Mary Margaret took a while to steel her nerves. Once she tells them, everything will be out in the open. They will be involved. All of them. Ruby and David will be involved in her nightmare, and that was holding her back from telling them the truth.

"At least tell us your name," Graham prodded with an encouraging smile.

With a long, deep breath, Mary Margaret drained her anxieties and fears away, her face turning into the cold expression she had perfected all the years she had been with Regina, a mask that hid her true emotions. A look around the room confirmed that her demeanor had startled them for they haven't met the real Mary Margaret whose heart and soul have been broken by the woman they have once called their mayor.

"My name is Mary Margaret Blanchard, daughter of Leonardo Blanchard, stepdaughter of Regina Mills. I ran from home in the middle of the night because I overheard my stepmother talking to a hitman."

Her audience was frozen in their seats.

"She wants me dead, and she wants my heart as proof."

* * *

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	10. Heart

10 | Heart

Half of the lights in the police station were already turned off later that night. Emma and Graham have gone home, leaving Ruby and Mary Margaret under David's watchful eye. After Mary Margaret had finished telling her story, Graham had proposed letting them go, but Emma had the final say and decided that they spend a night for their breaking and entering. Plus, Mary Margaret's own breaking and entering in the mayor's office. It seemed like a fair deal for Mary Margaret, not really wanting to go back to her own room and deal with her nightmares alone.

Ruby had already fallen into a restless sleep on her futon while Mary Margaret continued to lie down on hers, listening to David typing in his computer. He hasn't spoken all day, and she pinned it on the excuse that he was overwhelmed with everything. But at that point, she was so close to voicing out her displeasure, especially since they were finally alone. She needs him to say something. He can shout at her, be angry with her, anything but his silence.

A loud sound snapped her out of her thoughts and made her sit up. The computer was finally turned off, and David was pushing the couch towards her cell. Mary Margaret could only watch him until the side of the couch touched the steel bars of her cell. Then he went over and settled down on the end nearest her.

"Dear God, if you two are having sex, can you at least keep it down?" Ruby complained, turning to face the wall. Mary Margaret stiffened, internally cursing Ruby. The air was awkward enough already. Out of all things, what she didn't expect was to find David chuckling.

"Remind me to give her something special after all this is over," David told her with an indulgent smile.

"I can give her a piece of my mind when she wakes up tomorrow," Mary Margaret answered, glaring at the brunette's back.

"I can hear you," Ruby's muffled voice replied.

"You were meant to."

"And your mother's chocolate chip cookies will be much appreciated, David."

"Duly noted."

Mary Margaret then huffed, "Now please leave us alone so we can talk."

"Can't. I physically cannot go anywhere."

David chuckled again, clearly very amused, before standing up. Mary Margaret kept her displeasure to herself, not wanting to appear clingy. He went over to his desk and pulled out an old iPod. Ruby gasped in delight when he handed it over to her after tapping her on the foot. "I could kiss you right now!" she exclaimed.

"Ahem."

Ruby grinned before lying back down. "But I won't."

David had a satisfied smile on his face when he settled back down on the couch. With Ruby's ears filled with music, he and Mary Margaret were finally left alone after a long day. She sat on the edge of her futon with her arm leaning against the cold steel bars. They sat in silence for a couple of seconds before he broke it with, "So you broke into the mayor's office."

She flashed him a sheepish smile. "I didn't realize you were the guard."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "You'd make a hell of a criminal, you know that?"

She bit her lower lip, playing with the frayed edges of the futon. "You're not mad at me, are you?"

He looked surprised. "Why would I be mad at you?"

"I don't know," she said quietly. "With everything you've discovered today, I wouldn't blame you."

"If anything, I feel more protective of you than I have before."

She felt shy and amazed at the same time. "Really?"

"I met you in the pouring rain in the middle of the night with you having nothing but the clothes on your back, and then you refused to give me your name," he reminded her. "I'd have to be an idiot to not know you're hiding something. I was just waiting for you to say it."

She smiled at him fondly. "They really don't make men like you anymore, David Nolan."

David laughed. There were a few seconds of silence before he broke it, "What I didn't expect is your father being _the_ Leo Blanchard."

Mary Margaret began to feel uncomfortable. "I try not to tell people that. They start treating me differently."

"It's not that," he quickly said, making her look at him. "It's that you're Mary Margaret Blanchard. You have the whole world at your disposal, and I'm just…"

Mary Margaret caught his drift. "Don't say it."

"There are guys out there who can give you everything you could possibly want," he continued to say. "I can't. I can't even leave Storybrooke."

"I'm not asking you to." Mary Margaret couldn't help but reach out and take his hand. "Listen to me. You're the first man who saw me as me, who liked me as me, not as the daughter of some billionaire. You saw _me_ , David."

The smoldering in his eyes had returned, and Mary Margaret wished nothing more than for the bars separating them to disappear. "And when you look at me," she continued in a soft tone. "You make me feel things that I've never felt before."

"And that makes me so scared," she let out a sigh when David kissed the back of her hand. "Because I've already lost so many people I love."

David shook his head. "Mary Margaret."

"I can't lose you, too."

"You won't," he promised her, clutching her hand in his tightly. "I'm not going to let that happen. And I'm not going to let her hurt you. Not now, not ever. Do you understand me?"

Her lower lip trembled as she nodded. He watched her for a moment before heaving out a sigh, "Screw it."

He released her hand and went back to his desk, searching the drawers for something. At the sound of keys, Mary Margaret immediately stood up, clutching the steel bars, as he unlocked her door. Once the cell was open, she threw herself into his embrace with a sigh of relief, marveling at how weightless she felt in his arms.

"I'll keep you safe. I promise," he murmured. "Nobody's ever going to take you away from me."

* * *

The following night, the group of five made their way back to the mausoleum as they have planned, armed with flashlights and the set of keys Mary Margaret had. Her stomach was churning. What was hidden under the tomb was a secret, meaning whatever was locked down there couldn't possibly be a pleasant surprise.

Graham and David pushed the tomb together, and Emma went down first to check if everything was clear. Ruby and Graham were tasked to keep watch outside while the other three would check out the locked drawers. David took her hand as they followed Emma down to the underground level.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly.

"No."

When they reached the wall behind the red curtain, Mary Margaret proceeded to try each one of the keys. "It takes someone really twisted to have keys with skulls on them," Emma commented.

A few more tries, and one of the drawers popped open, making all three of them stop breathing. Mary Margaret opened it fully and pulled out an old, worn notebook from the inside. She flipped through the pages and found it empty.

"Well, that's just wonderful," Emma huffed, walking away.

"It doesn't make any sense," Mary Margaret told David. "Why lock something that isn't valuable?"

David took a closer look before running a hand through the pages.

Mary Margaret saw him grin. "What?"

"Invisible ink," he told her. "Clever. We can have this examined tomorrow."

She felt renewed excitement at the discovery and went back to work with the keys. It was taking a long time, making her anxious. She didn't want to keep them there longer than they have to be.

"What's taking so long?" Emma asked.

"How about you try testing each one of these bloody keys?" Mary Margaret snapped at her.

Emma muttered to David. "Damn, I haven't heard bloody in a long time. Is she English?"

David shrugged. "I don't know."

A satisfying click finally sounded, making her sigh in relief. "Finally."

The moment she opened it, a foul smell greeted her, making her jump away. "Oh, gross. Do you guys smell that?"

"It smells like garbage," Emma complained. "My eyes are tearing up."

"I think I'm going to be sick," David said, covering his nose and mouth. "What the hell is in there?"

Mary Margaret held her breath and looked in. And what she saw made her scream.

She stumbled to get away, making David catch her from falling onto the ground. "Hey, hey, what is it?"

Her voice failed her as the sobs started to bubble up from her chest. She pushed herself into his arms, shaking as she started to cry. She heard David asking Emma, "What the hell is inside that – Emma?"

Mary Margaret didn't need to hear her answer.

The nightmare was real. It wasn't just a dream.

The content of the drawer was a fully formed human heart.

* * *

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	11. Doctor

**Author's Note:** Hello! Happy 2019! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

11 | Doctor

Someone was watching them.

Ruby thought she was imagining things when she saw a silhouette of a man standing a few yards from where she and Graham were standing guard. At first glance, she mistook him as a lamp blurring in the mysterious fog that covered the whole cemetery, but his movements made her immediately think otherwise. The figure was coming closer, making her take a step back until her back touched Graham's, her eyes barely blinking and her hands turning cold.

"Graham," Ruby whispered. Her heart was thudding wildly against her chest. "Someone's here."

They were both hidden in the shadows of the mausoleum and were sure neither of them was seen. "David did mention someone sneaking in here a few nights ago," Graham told her quietly, following her line of sight. He took a few steps to stand protectively in front of her. "Press yourself up against the wall. Don't let him see you. If I tell you to run, you run."

If Ruby wasn't nervous before, his words have definitely scared her. But instead of arguing like she was about to, she followed his instructions, forgetting how to breathe when she saw the man coming nearer. As he approached them, she noticed that his walk was unsteady, and his hand clutched a half-empty bottle of whiskey. She stiffened the moment she identified the newcomer. On a normal day, she avoided him like the plague. Add alcohol to the mix, she'd rather throw herself off the Toll Bridge than have to deal with –

"Doctor Whale," Graham greeted, stepping out of the shadows with his arms crossed over his chest.

Whale stopped in his tracks and blinked owlishly at the deputy. "Oh, Deputy Humbert," he said as he raised his hand to tip his hat as if he was wearing one. Ruby resisted the urge to snort, her fear completely forgotten at the sight of the delirious man. "Fancy seeing you here."

"Unfortunately, I can't say the same to you," Graham replied strictly before slightly tilting his head. "What are you doing here?"

The doctor laughed as if Graham had said a particularly funny joke. "Don't worry. There are other doctors in the hospital."

Graham had a ghost of a smile on his face. "You're not answering my question, doctor."

"Right," Whale giggled, wiping his nose with the back of his hand and swaying slightly when the weight of his hand fell back to his side. "The hospital's just too… too… what's the word?"

"Empty?" Graham provided.

"Noisy," Whale deadpanned, looking wounded at the deputy's quip.

Graham only raised an eyebrow. "I find that hard to believe."

Whale stepped forward with an almost sober expression on his face. "I just need peace for tonight, deputy," he swayed as he lifted up a hand to lightly shove Graham's shoulder. "Just for today, can you please stop poking into other people's business and get a goddamn life?"

The doctor gave him another shove, and a dark look crossed Graham's demeanor. Before anything bad can happen, Ruby quickly intervened and placed herself in the middle of the two men. Graham was about to protest when Ruby lifted her finger to his lips. She then turned to Whale who was about to take another swig from his bottle, oblivious to the new addition. She pulled the whiskey from his grasp, the contents spilling at their feet, and Whale looked at her as if she were insane.

"I think that's enough whiskey for tonight, doctor," Ruby told him.

"Ruby," Whale lengthened the syllables of her name. "What are you doing here?"

She braved a smile despite her ill feelings towards him. "What are _you_ doing here? Are you visiting someone?"

After hearing her question, Whale lifted his eyes up to squint at the name carved on the mausoleum. His drunken smile slowly disappeared, and he stumbled backwards in his haste to get away. Graham helped Ruby by gripping the doctor's other arm to keep him steady and to keep him from going anywhere.

"I – I don't know why I'm here," Whale muttered to himself. "I'm not… I'm not supposed to be here."

"Whale!" Ruby snapped when he continued muttering nothings to himself. She quickly changed her tone at the sight of his spooked expression. "Doctor Whale, maybe you should sit down."

"Yes," Whale breathed out and Ruby tried to keep herself from gagging. "Sit. Sitting's good."

With Graham's help, Ruby was able to lead him to the mausoleum steps. She secretly handed the whiskey bottle over to the deputy for safekeeping, but Whale's eyes were quick. He had a firm grip on her arm that made her slightly uncomfortable.

"No, dear, that's mine," he told her. "Give it back. I need it."

"What do you need it for?" Ruby asked, trying to ignore the unease she felt sitting so close to him. He continued to search for his whiskey that she grabbed his chin to make him look at her. "Eyes on me. What do you need it for?"

His demeanor softened when their eyes met. "Why are you being so kind to me?"

His question caught her off-caught and made her ask herself the same thing. Why was she? He was a predator who touched her friend without her consent, yet there she was ignoring his hand on her and adamantly asking him why he was drinking himself to oblivion. It was odd, but her intuition had caught something. Being drunk shows a person's true feelings or intentions, and she had a feeling Doctor Whale stumbling into the cemetery at night had a deeper reason.

"You look like you need someone to be," Ruby finally answered him after a long moment of silence.

Whale slowly blinked at her as if he was trying to fight off his drowsiness. It took a minute before he let out a hollow laugh. "I don't deserve kindness," he said with humor, looking up at the dark sky. "I'm a terrible person."

Ruby thought of Mary Margaret and nodded. "Yeah, you are."

His lips twisted into an ugly frown. "No, you don't understand," he muttered, rubbing his hands together forcefully. Like he was trying to wash them clean. "I've done some terrible things. Terrible, awful things."

Ruby glanced up at Graham momentarily before turning back to the doctor. "Whale, what are you talking about?"

His hands were turning red from his force, and anxiety was written plainly on his face. "Don't think I don't know why you're here," he said, his eyes staring straight into hers. The fear in them sent goosebumps running down her spine. "You found something down there. You and that Snow girl. And you've gone and got the police involved."

There was anger in his tone when he spat out the last part. Graham narrowed his eyes as he shrewdly asked, "How do you know that there _is_ something to find in there?"

Ruby didn't expect Whale's anger to fade away so easily and be replaced with unadulterated fear. "I – I shouldn't have said that," he muttered, refusing to meet their eyes. He shakily stood up, and Ruby followed, ready to tackle him if he tries to run. "And I shouldn't be here. You – you shouldn't be here. If she finds out…"

"She?" Ruby echoed. "Who's she?"

The blood in his cheeks had begun to drain away as Whale struggled to amend his slip. Ruby turned to look at Graham and found an unreadable expression on his face. In the middle of Whale's mutterings, the deputy cut in with a strong tone, "Whale, are you talking about Regina Mills?"

Whale's eyes widened, and the shaking of his hands intensified. "No, no," he quickly replied. "No, it's not what you think."

"Are you in contact with her?" Graham pressed on, stepping closer to the doctor who looked like he was about to faint.

"It's not what you think! It's not what you think!" Whale cried, his eyes shining with fresh tears.

"Then tell us," Ruby ordered. "Tell us. What should we be thinking, Whale?"

His eyes had turned bloodshot from the surprising onslaught of tears. "I was forced to – I didn't mean to – she made me sign it!"

Ruby knew from the look on his face that Graham was just as confused as she was. "What?" he snapped in impatience. "What are you talking about?"

"The contract," his tone had turned desperate as he tried to explain himself through both his tears and his stupor. "Because – because she said I destroyed her happiness. I didn't want to do any of it, but she made me sign it. And if I don't do it, she – she'll kill me. She'll kill me, Ruby. She'll kill me!"

Whale had fallen down on his knees and was clutching her hands tightly. Ruby barely understood anything he had said and watched him cry like a child. Before she could say anything, the other three exited through the entrance. David had Mary Margaret tucked under his arm with the latter shaking and her face hidden on his chest. Emma looked ill, holding a box wrapped in plastic.

Emma's eyes glanced down at the man down on Ruby's feet before looking back up at her. "What's going on here?"

"Did you find anything?" Ruby asked them, momentarily forgetting about the delirious doctor.

Emma shared a look with David. But before any of them can say anything, the doctor threw himself in front of them and began to wail, "I didn't – I didn't want to do it! I swear to you. She made me do it!"

The ill look on Emma's face slowly turned horrified as she took in his words. "What – what is he talking about?" she asked, fear etched on her face.

"We don't know," Graham answered her. "He has been talking in circles all evening."

Whale lifted a shaking finger to point at the box Emma was holding, and everyone fell silent. "She needs an expert. It's the only reason why she hasn't killed me yet. She needs me to do that."

Ruby has never felt more confused in her life but the horrified looks on David and Emma's faces were enough to keep her from asking anything.

"You did this," Emma whispered, her voice trembling with fright.

"I destroyed her happiness, you see," Whale repeated. His voice had turned scratchy from the effort he had been exerting. "I needed to pay the price. It was raining and – and the road was slippery. I had been drinking and had forgotten to turn the headlights on. So… so I didn't see him. I didn't see him, Graham, I swear to you. I didn't."

Ruby felt bile coming up her throat when his story began to make sense to her. "Whale," she whispered. "Please. Please don't tell me you…"

"I told her I will do anything – anything to make up for what I've done," Whale continued to ramble on. "No apology is going to bring him back. But I never – I never thought she'd – I never expected this. I never wanted this. But she was going to kill me."

There was no other sound coming from the group except for Whale's sobs. All of them had turned to look at Graham who had a murderous look on his face. Ruby took the liberty of holding him back, seeing as the other two have their hands full, when he began to step towards Whale with vengeance in his features.

"Graham," Ruby started but was cut off when he harshly yanked his arm from her grasp.

"You killed Henry," Graham said in a hollow tone. Whale looked so small crumpled on the ground before him. "You killed my son."

Everything stopped when Graham threw the first punch.


	12. Surprises

**Author's Note:** Hi, guys! I am so sorry for the terribly long wait! Life got in the way. Enjoy this!

* * *

12 | Surprises

Mary Margaret had an empty expression on her face as she used her toe to turn the faucet off and on in the tub repeatedly. Her body had begun to wrinkle after being soaked for so long, and her bath had long since been cold since the hot water had already been used up. But she barely felt the cold. She barely felt anything. All she knew was that she was completely exhausted. All five of them were shell-shocked after their discoveries at the mausoleum, and she cannot help but feel responsible for turning her friends' world upside down. The urge to puke and cry reared its ugly head back again but was interrupted by a quiet knock on the bathroom door.

Ruby popped her head in through the open doorway and asked if she could come in. When Mary Margaret nodded, she gingerly stepped in, not wanting to step on the loose floorboard that can wake Granny who was sleeping on the floor below them. Mary Margaret studied her friend's expression and found none of the shock she was sporting when David recounted the events inside the mausoleum for her on the car ride home.

"Thought you might like some of this," Ruby smiled as she handed over a small tub of ice cream.

"Thanks," Mary Margaret accepted gratefully. "Have you heard from Graham?"

Ruby nodded. "No. All I know is he and Emma have taken Whale down to the psychiatric ward at the hospital. Also, David wants you to call him as soon as you can. He's quite worried."

Mary Margaret only hummed in acknowledgement, wondering why the ice cream didn't work its usual magic.

"We all are," Ruby added quietly. Mary Margaret can feel her eyes on her. "I haven't had the chance to ask you how you're doing. It may be a bit too soon, but I want to know how you're holding up."

Mary Margaret sighed, leaning her nape against the edge of the tub. "Shouldn't I be asking you that question?"

Ruby flashed her a wry grin. "I'll answer you when you answer me."

She let her head lol over to its side so she can lock eyes with Ruby. The latter had no look of contempt or pity, only worry and kindness, and it was enough to tug Mary Margaret's heartstrings. "I'm sorry," her voice gave up by the end syllable, betraying her emotions. Tears began to sting her eyes.

Ruby looked surprised. "What?"

"I'm sorry," she repeated, sniffing as the tears began to roll down her cheeks. "I never wanted this to happen."

"Hey, come on," Ruby said, her own voice trembling with emotion as well. "None of that crap."

"If it weren't," she hiccupped, sitting up. "If it weren't for me, this wouldn't have happened. None of this would've happened. You – you guys will still have a completely normal life. I'm so sorry for bringing my mess of a life here. And now Whale is in on this, too, and I just can't –."

"Stop it," Ruby ordered, grabbing the end of the tub. "You didn't cause any of this. Regina did. Okay? None of this was your fault. And if it weren't for you, we wouldn't have known of the crime sitting under our noses all this time because we're too busy thinking that Storybrooke's completely normal and safe. Well, that's bullshit. I don't know about them, but I'd rather not live in a fairytale that this town is all safe and happy when it isn't."

Mary Margaret wiped her tears away with her free hand. "But I pulled you guys into this mess. This was supposed to be just me. If she finds me, I'm the only one responsible for letting the world know her secrets, but now all of you are in on it, too, and I don't want to see you guys get hurt because of me."

"Hey," Ruby started. "We were the ones who asked. We were the ones who wanted to help you. We all knew what we were getting ourselves into. I'm sure none of us expected this, hell even you weren't expecting this. But we're here now and we will work through it together."

Ruby sighed and took her hand. "You don't have to be alone anymore, Mary Margaret. Not completely sure about Emma and Graham, but David and I kind of love you."

Mary Margaret's lower lip trembled as more tears came. "I love you, too," she gripped her hand tightly. "I haven't had the chance to thank you for everything."

Ruby grinned. "What are friends for?"

"Really," Mary Margaret insisted. "Thank you for going to jail with me, for letting me stay here, for giving me ice cream, for keeping me company… everything. I cannot thank you enough."

Ruby looked touched. "You're welcome. Truly. And I have to thank you as well."

Mary Margaret snorted out a laugh through her tears. "Thank me? For what?"

"I haven't had the chance to tell you this, but I've always wanted to see the world. I want to get out of Storybrooke and just… live. But I can't because I have to take care of the inn and the diner and Granny. I'm not complaining because everyone's wonderful here, but everything's already laid out for me. All I have to do is follow the steps and not break the rules. But I can't help but wonder if there's more for me out there."

Ruby's eyes began to glisten with tears as she let out a small laugh, "But when I met you, I got to discover a secret basement underneath the cemetery. I got to go to jail. I have the picture to prove it." She paused when Mary Margaret laughed. "And I got to meet this incredibly strong person who is not afraid of anything, who's brave enough to take a chance on love and friendship in a place where she hasn't been before. I don't know about you, but so far this has been a pretty good adventure, and I got to do it in my own home."

"Do you want me to cry even more?" Mary Margaret complained as she wiped her tears away before laughing with her. She threw her arms around Ruby in a hug. "Thanks for being the best, Ruby."

"You're not alone anymore," Ruby promised her. "You have us. Regina won't be able to lay a hand on you."

* * *

Yellow caution tape surrounded the Mills mausoleum that early morning while the police officers and media personnel flocked the area. Mary Margaret had a large jacket wrapped around her and sunglasses that covered her swollen eyes. She sipped her steaming coffee as she regarded her general surroundings with a watchful eye. No one had recognized her just yet with her new hair and a cap over her head, and for that she was thankful.

It was not the quiet investigation all of them have hoped for since one of the nuns who lived in the convent where Emma and Graham took the heart to be examined in gossiped about their arrival and what they brought with them. Word quickly spread through the town and reached the ears of the newspapers, all of which wanted the latest updates on the investigation.

Mary Margaret hadn't realized she had spaced out and had been staring on a reporter for far too long that the latter had taken notice of her. She quickly looked away and went back to sipping her coffee, hoping he would think nothing of it. Thankfully, David stepped out of the mausoleum that moment, breaking her from her thoughts. He took off his mask and snapped off his medical gloves before speaking with another officer. Surprise was evident in his features when she gave him a small wave. He finished his conversation before making his way towards her, a handsome smile on his face.

"Hey, you," he greeted before placing a swift kiss on her cheek. "What are you doing here?"

"Bringing you coffee," she smiled, holding up a fresh cup. "You must be tired."

"Not anymore," he said charmingly before giving her a lingering kiss. "How are you?"

She exhaled. "Better than last night. Ruby and I talked until morning."

"That's good," he replied, leaning against the car beside her. "I'm glad you were able to talk to someone about it. I was really worried."

"Ruby mentioned," she stepped closer until their arms were touching. "I'm sorry for worrying you."

"It's my job," he told her with a wink, and she almost felt like they were back to normal. Almost. But there was something off about him as she studied him. He was too chirpy, too flirty for someone who had just discovered a gruesome crime in his town. Too nonchalant in talking with his girlfriend whose stepmother is responsible for all of it.

"What?" he asked when her stare got to him.

She looked back to look at the activity around the mausoleum before turning back to him. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

He hesitated, making her say, "You know there's nothing else that would surprise me at this point."

He let out a breathy laugh. "Are you sure about that?"

She steeled her nerves and nodded. "Hit me."

He sighed and lowered his voice to not attract the ears of the reporters standing near them. "We've searched the remaining cabinets and we found bottles containing... questionable liquids."

Mary Margaret blinked. "Questionable liquids? Like poison?"

David solemnly shrugged. "We don't know yet. I sent Graham to the convent to have them checked out and to see if there's any progress with the heart."

She recoiled at the mention of the other deputy. "Graham's here? How is he?"

David suddenly looked older as he sighed. "He's acting the way he did when Henry died. He's burying himself in work so that he doesn't have the time to think."

It was obvious that talking about Graham was upsetting David, so she turned to the matter at hand. "Poison," Mary Margaret repeated, feeling a hint of desperation slowly growing inside her chest. "She's killing people, David. We have to do something."

"And we will," he appeased her, rubbing her upper arm. "We will. Right now, we just have to take all of the evidence we can find."

"What about the notebook? Have you guys had any time to look into that?" she reminded him.

"Emma's looking into it," David replied before moving to open the passenger door for her. "Come on. Let's go check on her progress and see if she found anything. I don't want anyone from the media to recognize you and start babbling to the city papers."

Mary Margaret immediately heeded his words and ducked into the patrol car. The reporter she made eye contact with earlier was looking over at her again, making her pull her cap lower to cover her face. David started the car immediately and drove backwards expertly. Both of them did not notice the reporter snapping a quick photo of them driving away.

* * *

Emma had her feet propped up on her desk with David sitting near her feet and Mary Margaret standing on the other side of the table with her arms crossed. David had the notebook from the mausoleum opened on the desk top, his eyes scanning the words over and over again to make sure he didn't miss anything. After being treated, the notebook revealed an invisible contract between Regina Mills and Victor Whale that confirmed what the doctor admitted in his drunken stupor. Emma decided to keep Whale locked up in the psychiatric ward for the meantime. The three of them were waiting for the results of the heart when a sudden crash woke them out of their silence.

"Get your claws away from me, old man!"

The Irish accent sent a painful jolt down Mary Margaret's stomach and made her pull herself upright. There were two people in what seemed to be a ball of flailing limbs coming towards Emma's office. The sheriff stood up as her deputy strode over to pull the two men away from each other.

"I want him locked up," Mr. Gold gritted through clenched teeth. His finger pointed menacingly at the one person she never thought of seeing in Storybrooke.

Killian Jones straightened his leather jacket and cracked his neck in a smooth fashion. "Probably not the best idea considering I haven't done a bloody thing!"

It was the first time Mary Margaret saw desperation in Gold's expression. His pleas were directed at David when he said, "Belle. He's the one who crashed his car into ours. He's the reason why Belle can't remember me. You know loss, don't you, Mr. Nolan?"

Mary Margaret's eyes snapped towards David. His jaw clenched at Gold's words and the action made her wonder who he had lost. "Haven't the faintest idea what this man's blabbering about," Killian said in defense. "I went into the diner, minding my own business, after deciding to get something to eat after a long drive. Then this insane fellow decided to tackle me out of the blue. Then this woman takes out a bloody crossbow and threatens to shoot if we don't leave."

Mary Margaret had to purse her lips together to keep herself from laughing at the wild look on Killian's face.

Emma decided to cut in. "Hold up. Who are you exactly?"

"The name's Killian Jones, love," he introduced himself with a charming grin, a complete turnabout in his expression after taking a double look at Emma. Mary Margaret felt the urge to punch the smile off his face. "And I'm here to take her home."

The other three turned towards Mary Margaret with one similar expression: curiosity. Killian had a big smile on his face and on any other day she might be able to return it, but he always had the worst timing. Slowly, his happy expression turned sour at her lack of a proper response.

He cleared his throat to say, "I'm her bodyguard."

"Of course, you are," Emma said, looking as uncomfortable as Mary Margaret did.

"I'm not going home," Mary Margaret finally spoke, capturing all of their attention. "So, there's no need for you to be here, Killian."

Killian started to look pissed off. "Your father is about to roast me alive, MM. If I go back without you, he's going to start inviting people to my funeral."

Mary Margaret's lips twitched in amusement but she kept herself composed. "I'll remember to send flowers."

"Excuse me, but why is my request to lock this man up being ignored?" Gold spoke up in spite.

Emma addressed him. "Because you don't have enough evidence to support your claim, Mr. Gold. So unless you can provide us with one, we can't keep him detained."

Killian grinned at her. "I like you. You're feisty."

"Ugh," Emma said in disgust before walking back to her desk. As soon as she sat down, her phone rang and she immediately picked up. "Hello?"

"Don't think this is the end of this, Jones," Gold threatened Killian before limping away.

Killian waited until he rounded the corner before telling David, "You know he's a lot stronger than he looks. Is that limp even real?"

Mary Margaret rolled her eyes before turning her attention to Emma. The sheriff suddenly had a tight grip on the receiver as she leaned her head on her hand. A sign that made Mary Margaret's stomach turn. "Okay. Are you sure? Okay, I'll tell him. Thanks, babe."

Emma hung up the phone and took a deep breath. She looked up to see all three of them looking at her expectantly. Her eyes turned to David as she softly said, "Maybe you should sit down."

David's brow furrowed. "What? Me? Why?"

Mary Margaret felt confused as well. "Did Graham find out who the heart belonged to?"

Emma paused to glare at her before looking back at her colleague in sympathy. "David, it's your dad."

"My dad?" he echoed. "What –?"

Emma's eyes watered as she placed a hand over his. "David, the heart belonged to your father."

* * *

 _Don't forget to click that review button below! Your feedback is THE BEST, and I appreciate each and every one of them! Thank you, thank you! x_


	13. Consequences

**Author's Note:** Happy 2020! Sorry for the long wait. Here's the next chapter!

* * *

13 | Consequences

"Hearts?"

Mary Margaret had her chin resting on the back of her folded hands as her eyes followed her bodyguard pacing restlessly in front of her. The two of them were occupying the bullpen while Emma and Graham talked inside the sheriff's office. David had stormed off somewhere after being told that the heart belonged to his father. Mary Margaret was supposed to follow him but was held back by the others and had to be told repeatedly to leave him be before she finally acquiesced.

All they were doing was waiting. Waiting was not going to solve anything.

"Like – like human hearts?" Killian repeated, stopping to look at her for confirmation. When she nodded, he went back to pacing, which was starting to get on her nerves. "Bloody hell."

"Regina is insane. I'm surprised you haven't picked that up yet," she murmured, her thoughts occupied as she glanced at the phone, thinking of dialing Ruth's home phone to check if David was there. When she checked what the time was, she thought otherwise.

Killian thankfully stopped pacing and sat partially on the desk she was occupying. "MM."

"What?" she asked, turning her attention back to him.

"If you're not coming home with me right now, _you're_ the one who's insane."

Her eyes narrowed. "And go back into the loving arms of my stepmother? I'd rather not."

Killian let out an exasperated sigh. "You have the whole security detail at your beck and call. You'll be safe. Now that we know what she's capable of, we're not going back there blindly. We have proof, enough for her to land in jail for the rest of her life. You can make a case against her with all this new information. You just have to make a few calls."

"Hmm," she agreed nonchalantly, leaning back on her chair with her arms crossed in front of her.

She felt his eyes studying her. "I mean, isn't that what you came here for?"

Her thoughts went back to David and the weight on her chest grew heavier. "I don't know."

Catching her drift, Killian took a deep breath before telling her, "Mary Margaret…"

"If you're going to lecture me, save it," she interrupted him with a sharp look. "I know what I've gotten myself into, and you're right. I might be going insane. I might be forgetting what I came here to do. But now it just seems… everything is just too much, and I don't know what to think."

Tears stung her eyes and made her look away from him. Her bodyguard was quiet for a few seconds before he continued to say, "Mary Margaret, my job is to protect you. All of you, and that includes your heart. I'm sorry if I made you think that I'm forcing you to make decisions now. I'm just worried. Worried about all this. Worried about you."

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly to keep her tears at bay, trying not to let him see her cry. "So, what do you suggest I do then?" she challenged him.

Before he can answer, both of them were startled by the loud commotion coming from the entrance of the station.

* * *

Doctor Whale was sporting a black eye and a split lip when David all but shoved him onto the chair on the other side of Emma's desk. It was less than an hour since the moment the sheriff dropped the news about the heart, and the deputy took it as an order to haul the doctor all the way from the hospital to the station, not very gently but no one can blame him.

"Doctor Whale," Emma greeted, hating the goosebumps that ran down her spine at the sight of the man.

"Sheriff Swan," the doctor had the gall to respond cheekily, making David look murderous in anger.

The sheriff sighed, feeling unbelievably tired. "You confessed having done the heart procedures on the victims of Regina Mills, is this correct?"

"Will you let me go if I say otherwise?" Whale asked which earned him a whack on the head from the deputy standing behind him. He seemed to have needed a moment to clear his vision at the force of David's hand.

"No," Emma answered his question before holding up the notebook with the contract inside. "But we do have this. So, I suggest you stop stalling and answer my questions properly because none of us wants to be here all night."

The doctor suddenly looked very sober at the sight of the notebook, a silent invitation for Emma to proceed.

"Did you agree to the terms written on this contract?" she questioned, holding up the notebook.

"Yes."

"Did you operate on the victims and take their hearts?"

"Yes."

"Under the orders of Regina Mills?"

"Yes."

"Did you kill Henry Mills?"

"Not intentionally, but yes."

"Were you under the influence of drugs or alcohol at that time?"

"Alcohol."

"Where's the vehicle?"

"Regina took care of it. I don't know where it is now."

"Then she made you sign the contract that states you will be performing the organ harvests?"

"Yes."

Emma felt triumphant at the ease of questioning. She tapped her pencil on her desk twice before continuing to say, "Notice how I've been using plurals all this time and you seem to be answering them without question. I wonder why."

Whale stilled for a moment before sharply meeting her eyes. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Is there more than one victim?" the sheriff interpreted, trying to ignore the racing of her heart in fear of his answer.

The doctor didn't say anything for a while, letting his eyes wander among the three people in the room with him before looking down at his hands knotting on his lap. "I signed the contract," he answered quietly. "I had no choice. She was going to kill me."

"Answer the question, Whale," David pressed on.

Whale snapped. "Why? Finding out that heart in the basement belongs to your father not enough for you, Nolan?"

"You son of a –."

"David!" the sheriff shouted, jumping up from her chair.

Graham forcefully restrained him from tackling the doctor right there and then. "Graham," Emma said. "Take him and get out of my office. Both of you."

"What?" the two deputies said in surprise. "Why?"

"You two are way too involved in this to be impartial," she explained. Whale looked almost triumphant on his seat, and his smugness made her want to punch it right off his face. "I'll take care of the questioning. You'll be able to see me from outside."

There was a bit of an argument before the two men finally acquiesced to her request. She sat down once the door was shut and realized how quiet it was with just the two of them inside. Staring back at Whale's eyes made her want to bolt out the door herself. She was silently thankful for the windows in her office and the four pairs of eyes watching them from the outside.

"One last question," her voice wavered and made her clear her throat. Whale smirked slightly.

"Go ahead, sheriff."

"Are you the hitman that Regina has hired to kill Mary Margaret?"

There was no denying the surprise on his expression. "Well, no," he answered before letting out a chuckle.

"What's with the laugh?" Emma asked. "You think this is funny?"

"Quite so," the doctor reciprocated her cold tone. "Do you really think that Regina can be that predictable? That she has only hired one person to do all her dirty work? You're dealing with a psychopath, Sheriff Swan. And I suggest you thread very carefully."

* * *

Afterwards, Doctor Whale was escorted back to the hospital by Emma and Graham after the sheriff suggested – more like commanded – all of them to go home and get some rest. Mary Margaret then was left with Killian and David inside the empty station with no one knowing what exactly to do or say to one another. Then they were saved when Killian's phone suddenly rang. He walked out into the hallway to answer it.

She and David were avoiding each other's eyes when he suddenly asked, "Are you going back with him?"

Shyly, she looked up to see his red rimmed eyes watching her warily. The loving blue replaced with a stormy gray. Fresh tears stung her eyes as she shrugged her shoulders and answered with, "I don't know."

He took a moment before he gave her a pained smile. "He likes you. That bodyguard of yours."

She rolled her eyes, sending a few tears to roll down her cheeks. She hastily wiped them away. "No, he does not. He's protective. It's his job."

"Trust me," David said quietly, pushing his hands down into his pockets and looking down on his shoes. "I see the way he looks at you."

"David," she murmured, her heart fluttering at the thought of him being jealous at the worst possible moment. "Now's not the time to be jealous."

Mary Margaret stepped forward to place a hand on his chest. Before she can reach him, he suddenly recoiled away from her touch, stunning the both of them.

"David?" she asked, hurt coloring her tone.

His features turned troubled as he avoided her eyes. "I – I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me…"

Mary Margaret brought her hand down and wrapped her arms around herself in comfort. "Right," she nodded jerkily. "I understand."

There was silence between them for a couple of seconds, and Mary Margaret hated every moment of it. "I'm sorry," she told him. "Everything… Everything was fine before I got here. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for taking your father away. I'm sorry for this mess. I'm sorry for all this."

David continued to look down on his shoes, not saying anything at all, and she suddenly found it harder to breathe. Killian then walked back into the room, took one look on her face, and immediately started to retreat. She stopped him, "No, wait. We should go."

"Go where?"

Killian's question was hopeful, and it made David stiffen slightly.

"To the inn," she clarified for the both of them. Her bodyguard looked disappointed while the deputy seemed to be relieved at her answer. "Emma was right. We've all had a long day. We should get some rest."

Killian nodded. "All right, I'll wait outside."

Once Killian was out of earshot, Mary Margaret took a tentative step towards David and held up her hand. She contemplated for a moment before bringing it back down. "I don't know what else to say," her voice wavered with emotion. "Other than I'm sorry. I'm sorry, David. This is not how I wanted it to be. You do know that, right?"

David then looked up. Her heart dropped at the sight of tears rolling down his cheeks. "I know. I just don't know what to do. I'm trying, but I just can't think…"

Mary Margaret raised her arms and wrapped him in an embrace. Slowly, she felt him respond in a tight hold and his face pressed on her neck. He was shaking and all she could do was stroke the back of his head in comfort. "My dad's dead, Mary Margaret."

She squeezed him tighter, closing her watery eyes shut.

"How am I supposed to tell my mother?"


	14. Media

**Author's Note:** Here's the next one! I hope you enjoy. Please let me know what you think by pressing the review button once you reach the end of the chapter. Thank you! xo

* * *

14 | Media

 **BLANCHARD HEIRESS IN STORYBROOKE**

Mary Margaret was in the middle of eating her cereal when Killian unceremoniously tossed the newspaper on the table in front of her. Under the headline were two pictures of her in the cemetery yesterday, donned in a hat and a big jacket, one was when she was waiting for him with two cups of coffee while the other was her on the passenger seat as David drove the car away from the scene.

A mixture of rage and panic swirled within her as she glanced up at Killian. "What the hell is this?"

"Read it," he said, taking the seat adjacent to hers. She pushed away her bowl and devoured the words on the page. The whole article, written by a Sidney Glass, contained an extensive background about who she is and her connection to Regina Mills. Every article on every page of the newspaper had a piece of information about her and was framed in a defamatory manner. One even had the gall to say that she had been the one to extract the heart from the mausoleum, the heart coming from no other than little Henry himself, in order to exact her revenge on her stepmother.

And the only sin Regina has committed was marrying her father and taking a part of the fortune that was supposed to be inherited entirely by the spoiled princess.

Anger was slowly turning her vision red as Mary Margaret brought the newspaper down to meet Killian's eyes. He let out a nonchalant shrug and a sigh, "I have thought about it and this is the best course of action for the papers. Blame everything on the newcomer. Imagine if they splashed the actual news that Regina might be a murderer who keeps human hearts in her family mausoleum, and she might be responsible for killing their mayor. That will be pandemonium."

Mary Margaret's hands slowly turned into fists clutching the newspaper a little too hard. "Killian, please do not tell me you're defending her." Her words passing through gritted teeth. She tried to take a deep breath to calm herself, but the rising anger was preventing her to do so. "Please tell me you're on my side instead of this fucking town's!"

The whole table shook when she brought both her fists down angrily, her eyes flashing with rage enough to make Killian recoil. She folded the paper hastily and threw it onto his chest before walking away with both hands on her waist. Beneath the anger was a bubbling pit of panic, and she resisted the urge to throw up her breakfast.

"Of course, I'm on your side!" Killian replied, his tone rising as well. The sound of his chair scraping the wooden floor indicated he had stood up as well. "Why the hell would I defend Regina or this stupid town? They don't matter to me. You matter to me!"

Mary Margaret let out a humorless laugh as she turned around to face him. "Oh, that's rich coming from someone who hasn't taken even a minute to ask me how I'm doing. Since the moment you stepped into this town, you've done nothing but make me feel like the little girl back in Boston who knows nothing and has to follow every single thing her daddy wants her to do. Well, Killian, you're not my father, so stop bossing me around!"

"All your father wants is for you to be safe," Killian explained in an exasperated tone and was starting to look frustrated. "And he specifically requested me to bring you back as soon as possible. I'm just doing my job, Mary Margaret. Please don't throw your frustrations at me! I just want you home."

Her hands were starting to shake, making her curl them into fists. "How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not going home?" she started to shout, throwing caring if other people might hear them out the window. "I don't want to go home. I don't feel safe there, no matter how hard you try to convince me that security will be there to take care of me. You don't know her, Killian! You don't know what she does behind closed doors."

"And you do?" he challenged.

The haughtiness in his tone made her reach for the nearest vase and throw it at his head, but his reflexes were quicker. It smashed against the wall behind him. "Why the hell do you think I ran?" she screamed, feeling the force of it scratch her throat.

"MM," Killian started, holding up his hands in surrender.

Mary Margaret reached for another vase. "Do not call me that!"

"What in the world is going on in here?" Ruby's loud voice towered over everyone else's in the room. Then Mary Margaret felt an arm behind her and someone taking the vase from her hands. She recognized the smell of his soap and cologne, so she didn't have to look up to know who it is. "The cameramen outside are going crazy with all the shouting."

"Cameramen?" Killian repeated before rushing towards the window. He subtlety pushed the curtains aside for a look and his expression immediately turned sour. His phone started to ring and whoever was on the other end made him curse. "We have to get out of here."

"I am not leaving," Mary Margaret warned him as he briskly walked towards the exit of the dining room.

"And I'm not asking anymore," Killian shot back before he answered the call outside.

* * *

Mary Margaret found herself back in her room with Ruby placing a weighted blanket around her shoulders and David handing her a cup of his mother's cocoa. Her friend gave her a quick kiss on top of her head before leaving her alone with the deputy. These days, she wondered how she was able to live all her life without Ruby Lucas. Mary Margaret was watching the cream slowly melting into the cocoa as the bed dipped when David took a seat beside her.

"You have quite an aim," he started after a few seconds of silence, making her look up at him in confusion. "The vase. If he hadn't ducked, it would've sailed directly at his head."

Mary Margaret let out an ugly snort, making him chuckle. "You certainly know how to break the tension."

"My mother says it is a gift," he grinned.

The thought of Ruth made her smile disappear again. "Have you told her?"

David in turn turned sober as well, and then she noticed the bags under his eyes. "I did. I thought it'd be better she hear it from me than hear the gossip first. We had a long talk. She needs some time to process the news, so she's cleaning and has kicked me out of the house this early."

They were both quiet for a few seconds before she broke it with, "The newspapers painted me as a spoiled daughter of a billionaire and made Regina look like a saint. And Killian thought it'd be a grand idea to rub it on my face that there is some truth in it."

She took a sip of the cocoa as David studied her. "And he wants me to go home, back to all that bullshit, and it just makes me sick," she continued to say. She paused to contemplate for a moment. "Maybe there is some truth in it. Maybe I am just a spoiled little princess throwing a tantrum by running away and trying to ruin her stepmother's reputation."

"Don't let him get inside your head, Mary Margaret," David immediately answered. "I've read the papers. They're – they're vile. None of those articles are true."

Her eyes were starting to turn watery as she said, "You don't know that."

"I do," he said, looking straight into her eyes. "The Mary Margaret Blanchard I've got to know this past month is not what they have described, and anyone who thinks that there is an ounce of truth in what they have said does not know you at all."

His words made her heart flutter and made a few of her tears roll down her cheeks. "I don't deserve you."

David cracked a small smile before meeting her halfway for a kiss. She pulled back after a moment to tell him, "I don't want to leave. I want to stay right here with you."

Before he could reply, the door of her room was opened with enough force to bust the lock of the doorknob. Killian walked in with Ruby hot on his trail, shouting, "I told you to leave them alone for a few minutes, and you go and destroy hotel property. We're putting this on your tab, Irish man."

"Just got a call from the others back home," Killian proceeded to report directly to Mary Margaret as if he didn't hear a word from the brunette behind him. "The story has reached the Boston papers, and everyone is eating it up. Your father is furious, and Regina has gone into hiding."

"Which means she could be anywhere by now," Ruby added in horror. "What do we do?"

"We need to go," Killian answered, blatantly ignoring Mary Margaret's sharp glare. "Go back to Boston or go into hiding ourselves. Your choice. We just have to go somewhere that isn't Storybrooke."

"How do we know that she's going to be safe if she leaves?" David spoke up. "She has the entire police force here to protect her. Ruby and Granny."

Killian looked at him like he was out of his mind. "No offense, mate, but are you telling me that you're risking her safety by putting your trust on a small-town sheriff and two innkeepers?"

"Hey!" Ruby exclaimed in offense.

"All I'm saying is that I trust these people more than I trust you," David explained, standing up to look him squarely in the eye. "I'm not going to let Mary Margaret out of my sight until all of this is over."

Killian barked out a laugh. "I'd like to see you try. I was trained in the Navy and it is my job to protect her and bring her back to where she belongs. Every second we waste not packing up our bags and leaving is another second closer to Regina finding her. I don't know about you, but I'd like to keep her alive and keep my job."

"And there's the difference between me and you," David immediately replied. "For you, her safety is your job. For me, her safety is everything. I don't want to lose her, and I will do anything to make sure she's okay. Can you get that through your head, _mate_?"

Ruby let out a low whistle.

"Okay, that's enough," Mary Margaret said, standing in between the two men and pushing them apart. "This is getting nowhere. Yes, we have to plan our next move, but we are doing it _with my approval_."

David's phone began to ring, causing everyone to pause momentarily. Mary Margaret caught a glimpse of the caller ID before he brought it up to his ear. "Emma."

"David." Mary Margaret could hear her sobbing through the static noise, making her look up at David in worry.

"Emma?" he asked, his brow knotting. "Emma, what's wrong?"

"Graham," her voice sound like she was couldn't breathe. "Graham's been stabbed."

"Stabbed?" David repeated in shock, gaining the attention of the entire room. "Emma, breathe. Tell me what's going on?"

"Graham's been stabbed," the sheriff repeated, her voice clearer this time around. "Regina. Regina's here."

* * *

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